Going Back To Harmony With Author Jodi Thomas

It’s my pleasure to welcome New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jodi Thomas back to Thoughts in Progress today. 

Jodi’s here to take us back to Harmony, Texas, in CAN’T STOP BELIEVING, which debuts today.
Congratulations Jodi on the new release!!

The sixth book in her popular Harmony series presents a story where big dreams are brewing—and anything and everything is possible…
    Cord McMillan gave up his freedom at eighteen when he went to jail for a crime he didn't commit. Now, ten years later, he's about to give it up again for a piece of land. Nevada Britain, his neighbor, has just made him an offer he can't refuse: If he'll marry her, she'll sign over a section of property that their families have been fighting over for a hundred years. Nevada refuses to ex-plain why, but Cord knows the bargain is in his favor.
    He just has one condition--she has to sleep in his bed every night as long as their doomed marriage lasts. Nevada only wants to maintain her family's legacy--and redeem herself for a wrong she did Cord years ago. But as she spends more time with her husband by necessity, she discovers something unexpected--a love so deep it takes her breath away.

CAN’T STOP BELIEVING (Berkley, ISBN: 978-0425250679) has already received great praise:
    “Another winner...Fans will be delighted.” - Publishers Weekly (starred review)
    “Compelling and beautifully written.” - Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Times Bestselling author

Jodi talks about writing this latest release.

When I began writing CAN’T STOP BELIEVING, I wanted to write a story about second chances. Like they always do, characters began to dance in my head, jumping up and down wanting to tell their stories.
Some authors develop characters with long outlines and background studies. I pretty much just wait around for them to drop by, sit down and tell me their stories. 

Cord McMillan did just that. He’d completely destroyed his life one night just before he turned eighteen. Seven years later no one in Harmony wanted to talk to him, much less be his friend. If he hadn’t inherited his parents little farm, he’d have had nothing and the farm was in so much trouble he had to work in town to keep from losing it. 

Nevada Britain had rich land and money, but her reputation was worse than Cord’s. Neither trusted anyone but a need to survive brought them together and they formed a bond no one could break. 

I’m over my ‘after the book’ blues that always hits when a book is finished. I’ve moved on to another story, but these characters will always be in the back of my mind like old friends. I hope for all of you they will be that as well. 
 
Enjoy the journey, Jodi.

Jodi, thanks for visiting with us again and taking us back to Harmony. That place is filled with such interesting people. Can’t wait to see what happens there next. Maybe Cord and Nevada will resurface again (just to say hi).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jodi is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of 37 novels and 11 short story collections. In June 2011, WELCOME TO HARMONY, the first book in the Harmony series, won a RITA, the highest award for women’s fiction. Jodi currently serves as the Writer in Residence at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas.

For more on Jodi and her writing, visit her website or find her on Facebook and Twitter.

Thanks for dropping by today. Hope you’ve enjoyed your side trip to Harmony and return for a longer stay by reading CAN’T STOP BELIEVING. Aren’t second chances a wonderful thing?

Forever Alexa And A Giveaway

It is with great delight that I welcome author Cate Beauman back to Thoughts in Progress today to talk about her newest release, FOREVER ALEXA, from her bestselling series The Bodyguards of L.A. County.

Death threats and a broken heart…                                  First grade teacher and single mother Alexa Harris is no stranger to struggle, but for once, things are looking up. The school year is over and the lazy days of summer are here. Mini-vacations and relaxing twilight barbeques are on the horizon until Alexa’s free-spirited younger sister vanishes.
    Ransom calls and death threats force Alexa and her young daughter to flee their quiet home in Maryland. With nowhere else to turn, Alexa seeks the help of Jackson Matthews, Ethan Cooke Security’s Risk Assessment Specialist and the man who broke her heart.
    With few leads to follow and Abby’s case going cold, Alexa must confess a shocking secret if she and Jackson have any hope of saving her sister from a hell neither could have imagined.

Cate’s books are making their way to the top of the charts currently. Last week she was at #3 on Amazon’s Top 100 Hot New Releases in romantic suspense and all four of her books were in the top 100 bestsellers for the same category.

Thanks to Cate, I have three digital copies of FOREVER ALEXA to give away. Please see the end of the post for the details.

The Unofficial FOREVER ALEXA Soundtrack

Cate:
Music is a huge part of my writing process. I typically listen to Pandora or YouTube and compile a collection of songs that I feel represent my characters or the situations they face as the novel unfolds. It’s a rare occasion that my creativity demands quiet (And that’s a good thing. I’m a mother of two boys. Quiet doesn’t happen in my house.). Here are a few of the songs that ‘spoke’ to me while I created Jackson and Alexa’s story!  

The soundtrack, of sorts, for FOREVER ALEXA:
All I Ever Wanted by Brian Melo
Beautiful Words by The Afters
By Your Side by Lifehouse
Chances Are by Five For Fighting
I Still by Backstreet Boys
Let Me Love You by Ne-Yo
Inconsolable by Backstreet Boys
Breathe Me by Sia
The Mess I Made by Parachute
All This Time by One Republic 

Read an excerpt from FOREVER ALEXA:

     Alexa stared out the living room window, watching the sun hover closer to the mountains in the distance. The deep country dark would soon surround her house. The dread of another long, sleepless night tightened the muscles of her shoulders and jaw until they ached. She eyed the Louisville Slugger, now leaning against the side table, as she listened to Olivia’s happy chatter filling the small space. Livy and her dolls were enjoying the tiny glass teapot Alexa had filled with milk, the apple she had quartered, and the graham crackers she set out for an impromptu after-dinner tea party. 
     “Mommy, come play with us. You can sit by Lucy.” 
     Alexa turned and gave Livy what smile she could. “Maybe in a little while, sweetie.” 
     “The graham cracker is very yummy.” Livy held up the golden half of cookie, dangling it like a token bribe, before she took a big bite. 
     “It looks wonderful, but I have more work to do on the computer.” 
     Livy turned back to her life-sized baby doll and bit Lucy’s cracker too as the party began again. 
     Alexa desperately wanted to join in on the fun but couldn’t. There wasn’t time. She had just over twenty-four hours to collect an unattainable amount of money. Sighing, she twisted the blind closed and turned away from the window, wishing the media vans were still parked along the dirt road out front. At least someone would’ve been close by while she waited for daylight again. The fifteen-car pile up on I-81 North sent the reporters and their news crews scattering several hours before. The knocks at the door had ceased. Abby’s disappearance had already been forgotten, and she had no choice but to keep it that way. 
     Alexa glanced at Livy before she sat down to the laptop she’d left on the coffee table. She’d spent the last two hours researching ransom and hostage situations while dodging non-stop phone calls from concerned friends, co-workers, and of course the press. She’d let the answering machine pick them up until the message box was full. She couldn’t deal with the questions. 
     She stared at the article she’d read before she had to put the computer down and walk away. The information had been so troubling, so depressing, she’d had to stop. The odds of Abby coming home were dwindling with every minute passing. Mr. Macabee had been correct; if she could get the money and pay the ransom, the kidnappers were likely to demand more and kill her sister anyway. 
     Alexa closed her eyes and rubbed her fingers against the throb in the center of her forehead. What was she going to do? The media wasn’t an option. The police weren’t either. So where did that leave her? She glanced at Livy again, wiggled her mouse, and typed Evan Cooke Security, LA into her search engine. 
     Hits for Ethan Cooke Security popped up instead. She followed the link to the website and studied the company’s bold red and black insignia. World renowned security firm, offering the best in close protection. Alexa clicked the mouse again and her heart stuttered. 
     Jack. 
     There he was among several other well-muscled men in the professional group photo. She moved her finger to his handsome face and traced it as she clutched the charm dangling from her necklace. 

     “Excuse me. Can you help me?” 
     Alexa glanced up from the books she was checking back in to the college library computer system and lost her breath as she stared into fantastic blue eyes. “What can I do for you?” 
     “I have a ten-page paper due for one of my criminal justice classes in—” he glanced at his watch, “less than twelve hours.” 
     She measured his charming smile and ball t-shirt stretched over broad shoulders and mounds of biceps. Her smile dimmed—another dumb jock. Why were the cute ones always a disappointment? She knew her eyes chilled as she answered. “Sounds like a personal problem. The Criminal Justice section is along that wall.” She pointed across the room. 
     At ease and clearly unaffected by her scolding tone, he edged himself along the enormous desk. “So, do you practice that disapproving librarian look in the mirror?” 
     She refused to give in to her smile. “I might.” 
     “You’re too young to have that mastered. What are you, a freshman? I’ve never seen you before.” 
     “I’m a sophomore, and I imagine you haven’t. I spend a lot of time in the library.” But she’d seen him—Jackson Matthews, junior, football star, frat boy, Mr. Popular with the ladies. Definitely not her type. Not that she actually had a type, because she’d never been on a date. Her grades were too important. Her scholarships were vital. 
     He grinned. “I believe I was just insulted.” 
     She smiled this time and shrugged. “Maybe.” 
     “You’ve gone and hurt my feelings, and I don’t even know your name.” 
     “Alexa.” 
     “Alex,” he held out his hand. “Jackson Matthews.” 
     Her brow shot up as she stared at him. “I know who you are. And it’s Alexa.” 
     He stood and glanced at his watch again. “I guess I should get to work. Maybe I’ll see you around some time, Alex.” He flashed her another heart-stopping grin and walked toward the stacks she’d pointed out. 
     She let out a long, shuddering sigh and looked down quickly when he glimpsed over his shoulder and smiled. 

     The flip-top phone rang, startling Alexa out of her memories. She jumped and caught the laptop just before it crashed to the floor. Licking her lips, she set the computer on the coffee table and picked up the phone. “Hello? Abby?” 
     “Wrong again, Sister Alexa,” the familiar mechanical voice said. 
     Her stomach clenched with dread. “What—” 
     “I said no press.” 
     “I didn’t talk to them. I swear I didn’t. They followed me. Please don’t hurt her. Please don’t hurt Abby.” 
     “I saw you on the news, Sister Alexa. Grocery shopping. You look just like her. I had no idea we could’ve gotten two for the price of one.” 
     She rushed to her feet, grabbed the heavy wooden baseball bat with a trembling hand, and hurried to the entryway to check the lock as her heart rate soared. 
     “You broke our deal. I’m docking you six hours. You’re down to twenty. Tick tock.” 
     “No, I didn’t—” 
     “Twenty hours or we take Olivia next.” The line went dead. 
     Alexa gasped for breath as a terror like she’d never known constricted her chest. Not Livy. Not her Livy. She collapsed on the bottom stair in the landing, listening to her daughter’s sweet voice as she continued to play in the next room, oblivious to the danger and turmoil destroying their lives. 
     Alexa struggled to her feet as her body racked with uncontrollable shudders and tears rushed down her cheeks. They had to go; they had to get out of here. She shoved the heavy bench in front of the door as she had last night and dashed up the steps, yanking a suitcase from the small walk-in storage space. She rushed into Livy’s room and pulled clothes from drawers and the closet at random, then hurried into her own room and did the same. She headed for the bathroom next, scooping toothbrushes and toothpaste into the travel bag she had yet to fully unpack from their trip to Virginia Beach. 
     Alexa started back downstairs but stopped when Gordon, the mournful-looking stuffed frog Livy had slept with every day since her birth, caught her eye. She snatched the melancholy creature off the bed and bolted down the stairs with the cumbersome luggage, setting it by the door. “Livy, we have to go somewhere, sweetie,” she struggled to say, still fighting for each breath as adrenaline coursed through her veins. 
     Livy looked up from her spot at her small pink table. She was dressed in the princess costume Abby had made her for Christmas. “I’m having a party, Mommy.” 
     “I know, honey. I’m sorry, but we really have to go right now.” She flipped her laptop closed, dropped it into its case, and grabbed her purse. Next she took several of Livy’s books and shoved them into a small canvas bag. “Come on. Let’s go.” 
     Livy’s bottom lip turned down and her eyes filled with tears. “Lucy wants to eat her apples. I want to play tea party.” 
     “Later, honey.” Alexa glanced out at the darkening sky through the edge of the blind. She wanted them long gone from their isolated home. “You can bring your princess dress with you.” 
     Livy’s eyes brightened. “Okay.” 
     She held out her hand. “Let’s go.” 
     Two hours later, Alexa clutched Olivia’s hand as they walked through Baltimore-Washington International, rolling the suitcase and booster seat behind them. She glanced around as they made their way to the ticket counter, fearful Abby’s kidnappers were somewhere close, watching for the perfect opportunity to snatch her daughter away. 
     “Can I help you, ma’am?” The pretty blonde smiled from behind her computer. 
     Alexa peered behind her, spotting the two men dressed in black pants and short-sleeved tops standing by the enormous panes of glass, staring in her direction. She picked up Olivia and clutched her tight. Were they here for Livy? “Yes. I need to buy two tickets.” 
     “And your destination, ma’am?” 
     What was her destination? She hadn’t thought that far. Her only instinct had been to flee. There was nowhere to go and no one to pick her up on the other end. She and Abby had always had each other, but now she was on her own. She moved her free hand to her necklace and rested her palm against the triangular charm. “LA,” she said in a rush. “Two tickets to Los Angeles, please.” 
     “We have a couple of open seats on a redeye leaving in an hour.” 
     She glanced over her shoulder. The men were gone, but that didn’t mean Livy was safe. “Okay, we’ll take them.” 
     The agent told her her total, and she tried not to wince. This was going to eat into her already strained budget, but what choice did she have? Money meant nothing with Livy’s life in danger. She pulled her credit card free and her heart ripped in two. To save her daughter, she was leaving Maryland and her sister behind.

Cate:
Did you enjoy the excerpt?  You can read the first three chapters on my website, www.catebeauman.com, or you can finish the whole book here!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Cate currently lives in Tennessee with her husband, their two boys, and St. Bernard, Bear. She is the author of the best selling romantic

suspense series, The Bodyguards of L.A. County. Before her career as an author, Cate worked in special education for 12 years.

“I’m a pretty lucky girl; one day I woke up and my entire life changed. I saw the light, so to speak, and decided I was going to be a writer. Now, two years later, I’m working on my fifth novel and I’m an Amazon best selling author.  I’m very grateful for the support and success I have had.  - Cate”

For more on Cate and her writing, visit her website and her Amazon Author Page or find her on Facebook and Goodreads.

E-Book Giveaway Contest
To enter, just send me an e-mail (mcbookshelf@gmail.com) with the subject line, “Win Forever Alexa.” Your message should include your name and the email address you’d like the eBook sent to. And, just so you know, I don’t share any of this information with anyone other than the publisher or promoter nor use it for any other purpose. The deadline to enter this giveaway for a chance to win one of three digital copies of FOREVER ALEXA is 8 p.m. (EDT) on Friday, June 14. Remember, this giveaway is for digital copies, not print so it’s open international!

Thanks so much for stopping by today. Do you find an excerpt draws you in faster than just a brief synopsis?

Sunday Salon: The List Lover’s Guide To Jane Austen And A Giveaway

Here we are at the first Sunday Salon of June. Where has the year gone already? While we’re in the middle of the year and some folks are still having winter weather, we can always rely on books for comfort no matter what the temperature is.

Today I have a unique book to tell you about in that it’s a series of quotes and quips from the life of one of the world’s most famous authors - Jane Austen. 

Have you ever wondered what books Jane Austen read? Or what her #1 pet peeve was?

Well now you can find the answers to these (and other) questions in THE LIST LOVER’S GUIDE TO JANE AUSTEN (ISBN: 978-1402282034, Trade Paperback) coming out this week from Sourcebooks. Released just in time for the 200th Anniversary of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, author Joan Strasbaugh is a “hard-core fan” and known in Jane circles around the world.

This is the first biography (that Sourcebooks knows of) to ever be composed of lists! To celebrate this new biography, Joan is touring blogdom through June 16. As part of the promotion she is giving away one copy of THE LIST LOVER’S GUIDE TO JANE AUSTEN to a lucky visitor to Thoughts. Please see the end of the post for the guidelines.

Sourcebooks and Joan are sharing some excerpts from this delightful book. These feature a few of the many fun and breezy lists that help us discover everything there is to know about Jane Austen, that sassy literary genius we know and love!

Trying to pin down Jane Austen is difficult—but nevertheless exciting! THE LIST LOVER’S GUIDE TO JANE AUSTEN is incredibly detailed and offers readers an in-depth look at the context of Jane Austen’s life from birth to her final days, and expands upon why she is still so relevant today in both literature and life.

Anyone who loves or appreciates Jane Austen’s smart, timeless literature will devour this text and will refer to it again and again. Lists like “Her Social Circle” and “Balls and Dances She Attended” weave a seamless portrait of the woman that Austen was — not based on her fictions, but on her facts.

While including extensive background information on the author (down to the very flowers she grew in her garden), the book also features juicy details like:
* Possible Suitors
* Who Broke Her Heart
* The Hearts She Broke
* Her Morbid Sense of Humor
* Jane’s Royal Ancestors

Here’s a couple of excerpts from this intriguing book to entice you a bit more. The first is:
BOOKS SHE READ

Matilda, a play, Dr. Thomas Francklin 
Fables, John Gay 
Poems on Several Occasions, Dr. Moss Mentoria; or, The Young Ladies’ Instructor, Ann Murray 
Moral Tales, Dr. Thomas Percival 
Elegant Extracts, a literary anthology 
The Rivals, Richard Brinsley Sheridan
The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, Henry Fielding, 1749
The Mirror, a journal 
The Complete Italian Master, Giovanni Veneroni 
Mary Queen of Scots Vindicated, John Whitaker, 1787
The Wonder: A Woman Keeps a Secret, a play, Susannah Centlivre, 1714 
The Chances, a play, John Fletcher 
The Tragedy of Tragedies; or, The Life and Death of  Tom Thumb the Great, play, Henry Fielding, 1731 
The Sultan, a play, Isaac Bickerstaffe, 1784
High Life Below Stairs, a play, James Townley, 1759
Arthur Fitz--Albini, Egerton Brydges, 1798 
“We have got ‘Fitz--Albini’; my father has bought it against my private wishes, for it does not quite satisfy my feelings that we should purchase the only one of Egerton’s works of which his family are ashamed. That these scruples, however, do not at all interfere with my reading it, you will easily believe.  We have neither of us yet finished the first volume. My father is disappointed—I am not, for I expected nothing better.”
 —-Jane to Cassandra, November 25, 1798 
The Lady’s Monthly Museum (1798–99), essay 
“Effects of Mistaken Synonymy” included headline “Sense and Sensibility” 
Belinda, Maria Edgeworth (1801) 
Poetry of George Crabbe Marmion (1808), 
Sir Walter Scott Evelina; or, the History of a  Young Lady’s Entrance into the  World (1778), Frances Burney 
Lady Maclairn, the Victim of  Villainy (1806), Hunter of Norwich 
Travels in Spain (1809), Sir John Carr 
The Heroine; or, Adventures of a Fair Romance Reader (1813), E. S. Barrett
An Account of the Manner and Customs of Italy and A Journey from London to Genoa (1768), Joseph Baretti
Life of Lord Macartney, with Extracts from an Account of the Russian Empire, the Political History of Ireland and the Journal of an Embassy to China (1807), Sir John Barrow
The Hermit (1766) and The Minstrel (1771–-74), James Beattie 
Letters on the Modern History and Political Aspects of Europe (1804), History of Spain (1810), and A System of Geography and History (1812), John Bigland
Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides (1785) and Life of Samuel Johnson (1791, 1793), James Boswell 
Self--control (1810), Mary Brunton
Christian Researches in Asia (1811), Claudius Buchanan
Cecelia; or, Memoirs of an Heiress (1782), Fanny Burney
Clarentine (1798), Sarah Harriet Burney 
Life of James II (1816) and Sermons Preached in the Western Squadron (1798), James Stanier Clarke
The Shipwreck (1804), William Falconer
History of the Abolition of the African Slave Trade (1808), Thomas Clarkson 
The Tour of Dr. Syntax in Search of the Picturesque: A Poem (1812), William Combe 
Battleridge, an Historical Tale Founded on Facts, by a Lady of Quality (1799), Cassandra Cooke
Examination of the Necessity of Sunday--drilling (1803), Sermons, Chiefly Designed to Elucidate (1804), Practical and Familiar Sermons (1809), and Two Sermons Preached at Wolverhampton (1816), Reverend Edward Cooper
The Borough (1810) and Tales (1812), George Crabbe
Alphonsine; ou, La tendressematernelle (1806) and LesVeillŽes du Chateau (1784), Madame de Genlis
Lettresde Mmede SŽvignŽ (1726), Madame de Sévigné
Corinne; ou, L’Italie (1807), Madame de Stael
RobinsonCrusoe (1719), Daniel Defoe
Collection of Poems in Six Volumes by Several Hands (1758), Robert Dodsley 
The Peacock’s Ò At Home Ó (1807), Catherine Ann Dorset
Patronage (1814), Maria Edgeworth
Enquiry into the Duties of the Female Sex (1797), Thomas Gisborne
CalebWilliams (1794) and St. Leon (1799), William Godwin
The Vicar of  Wakefield (1766), Oliver Goldsmith
Letters from the Mountains; Being the Real Correspondence of a Lady between the Years 1773 and 1803 (1807) and Memoirs of an American Lady (1808), Anne Grant 
Writings of Elizabeth Hamilton 
Cantabrigia Depicta (1809–-11), R. B. Harraden 
Rosanne; or, A Father’s Labour Lost (1814), Laetitia Hawkins
The History of Great Britain, from the First Invasion of It by the Romans under Julius Caesar (1771–-93), Robert Henry
Guidadi Musica, Being a Complete Book of Instruction for the Harpsichord or Pianoforte (1790), James Hook
Letters from Mrs. Palmerstone to Her Daughter Inculcating Morality by Entertaining Narratives (1803), Rachel Hunter
Two Sermons (1808), Reverend Thomas Jefferson 
Pamphlet on cowpox (1798–-1800), Dr. Edward Jenner
Tableaudefamille, Jean de La Fontaine 
Midnight Bell, a German Story Founded on Incidents in Real Life (1798), Francis Lathom 
The Female Quixote; or, The Adventures of Arabella (1752), Charlotte Lennox 
GilBlas (1715–-35), Alain--René Lesage 
Travels in Iceland (1811), Lord Macartney and Sir George Mackenzie 
Paradise Lost (1667), John Milton 
CÏlebs in Search of a  Wife (1809) and Practical Piety (1811), Hannah More 
The Wild Irish Girl (1806) and Woman; or, Ida of Athens (1809), Sydney Owenson (Lady Morgan)
Essay on the Military Policy and Institutions of the British Empire (1810), Sir Charles William Pasley
Letters to and from the Late Samuel Johnson (1788), Hester Piozzi 
Essay on Man (1733), Alexander Pope 
Lake of Killarney (1804), Anna Maria Porter
The Mysteries of Udolpho (1794) and others, Ann Radcliffe
Lady of the Lake (1810), Waverley (1814), The Field of  Waterloo (1815), Paul’s Letters to His Kinsfolk (1815), and The Antiquary (1816), Sir Walter Scott 
Letters from Italy (1766), Samuel Sharp
Several Discourses Preached at the Temple Church (1812), Thomas Sherlock 
Rejected Addresses; or, The New Theatrum Poetarum (1812), James and Horatio Smith 
Letters from England, by Don Manuel Alvarez Espriella (1807) 
The Life of Nelson (1896), and The Poet’s Pilgrimage to Waterloo (1816), Robert Southey 
Tristram Shandy (1760–67), Laurence Sterne 
Gulliver’s Travels (1726), Jonathan Swift 
Margiana, or  Widdrington Tower (1808), Henrietta Sykes Four Letters on Important National Subjects (1783), Reverend Dr. Josiah Tucker 
Aliciade Lacy: An Historical Romance (1814), Jane West Narrative of the Events  Which Have Taken Place in France (1815), Helen Maria Williams

Now for another fun list.
WHAT SHE ATE AND DRANK

“My mother desires me to tell you that I am a very good housekeeper, which I have no reluctance in doing, because I really think it my peculiar excellence, and for this reason—I always take care to provide such things as please my own appetite, which I consider as the chief merit in housekeeping. I have had some ragout veal, and I mean to have some haricot mutton to--morrow.  We are to kill a pig soon.”
Turkey
Cold souse
“Caroline, Anna & I have just been devouring some cold Souse, & it would be difficult to say which enjoyed it most.”
Liqueurs
Venison
Beefsteaks
Boiled fowl
Boiled chicken
Ragout veal
Haricot mutton
Oxcheek
Dumplings
Pease soup
Spareribs 
Pudding
Tea
Asparagus & a lobster 
Cheesecakes 
“At Devizes we had comfortable rooms, & a good dinner to which we sat down about 5; amongst other things we had Asparagus & a Lobster which made me wish for you, & some cheesecakes on which the children made so delightful a supper as to endear the Town of Devizes to them for a long time.” 
Gooseberry pie 
Gooseberry pudding 
Wine 
Sandwiches allover mustard 
“I believe I drank too much wine last night at Hurstbourne; I know not how else to account for the shaking of my hand to day.” 
Bath buns 
Mead 
“We must husband our present stock of Mead; & I am sorry to perceive that our 20 Gal: is very nearly out.—I cannot comprehend how the 14 Gal: cd last so long.” 
Toasted cheese 
Apple dumplings 
Rice pudding 
“When you receive this, our guests will be all gone or going; and I shall be left to the comfortable disposal of my time, to ease of mind from the torments of rice puddings and apple dumplings, and probably to regret that I did not take more pains to please them all.” 
Boiled leg of mutton 
Bad butter 
“At Dartford, which we reached within the two hours and three--quarters, we went to the Bull, the same inn at which we breakfasted in that said journey, and on the present occasion had about the same bad butter.” 
Tart and jelly 
“Mr. K. went away early;—Mr. Moore succeeded him, & we sat quietly working & talking till 10; when he ordered his wife away, & we adjourned to the Dressing room to eat our Tart & Jelly.” 
Orange wine 
Ice and French wine 
Currants 
Pheasants 
Spruce beer 
Hare 
Apple pie 
Widgeon 
Preserved ginger 
Black butter 
“The  Widgeon, & the preserved Ginger were as delicious as one could wish. But as to our Black Butter, do not decoy anybody to Southampton by such a lure, for it is all gone.”
Sole 
“Mr. Egerton & Mr.  Walter came at ½ past 5, & the festivities began with a pr of very fine Soals.” 
China tea 
Neck of mutton 
“I had a few lines from Henry on Tuesday to prepare us for himself & his friend, & by the time that I had made the sumptuous provision of a neck of Mutton on the occasion, they drove into the Court—but lest you should not immediately recollect in how many hours a neck of Mutton may be certainly procured, I add that they came a little after twelve—both tall, & well, & in their different degrees agreable.” 
Port and brandy 
Stilton cheese 
Veal cutlets and cold ham 
Coffee 
Soup, fish, bouillŽe, partridges, and an apple tart 
“MdeBigeon was below dressing us a most comfortable dinner of Soup, Fish, Bouillée, Partridges & an apple Tart, which we sat down to soon after 5, after cleaning & dressing ourselves & feeling that we were most commodiously disposed of.” 
Soup, wine and water 
Sugar loaf 
Roast fowl 
Venison 
Pickled cucumbers 
Sea kale 
“At 7 we set off in a Coach for the Lyceum—were at home again in about 4 hours and 1/2—had Soup & wine & water, & then went to our Holes.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Joan Strasbaugh has been a proud Janeite for half of her life. She now

works as the senior editor of Abbeville Press in New York, and notably organized the Jane Austen in the 21st Century Humanities Festival at the University of Wisconsin. 

A former publisher at Jones Books, Joan also holds a membership to the Jane Austen Society of North America.

GIVEAWAY GUIDELINES: To enter this giveaway, please send me an e-mail (mcbookshelf@gmail.com) with the subject line, “Win THE LIST LOVER’S GUIDE.” Your message should include your name and mailing address. The contest is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only and no post office box addresses can be accepted. And, just so you know, I don’t share this information with anyone other than the publisher nor use it for any other purpose. The deadline to enter this giveaway for a chance to win a copy of THE LIST LOVER’S GUIDE TO JANE AUSTEN is 8 p.m. (EDT) on Tuesday, June 11.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. What kind of list would you like to see compiled about Jane Austen?

The Age of Desire In Paperback And A Giveaway

Now in paperback, a sparkling glimpse into the life of Edith Wharton and the scandalous love affair that threatened her closest friendship, THE AGE OF DESIRE: A Novel (Penguin; On-sale: 5/28/13; $16.00; 978-0-14-312328-6), by Jennie Fields, brings to life one of literature’s most beloved writers, whose own story was as complex and nuanced as that of any of the heroines she created.

I’m delighted to have author Jennie Fields visiting with us today to answer some questions about this intriguing book and her writing. As an added bonus, thanks to Jennie and Laura at Penguin, I have two copies of THE AGE OF DESIRE to giveaway. Please see the end of the post for the giveaway details.  

Extraordinary coincidences, such as the sudden discovery of more than 100 letters from Edith to Anna, Edith’s governess turned literary secretary and confessor, make Jennie’s own story of writing this novel remarkable. In THE AGE OF DESIRE, Jennie seamlessly weaves these letters and other diary entries throughout a narrative that alternates between the points of view of both women, taking the reader on a vivid journey through Wharton’s exhilarating world.

The relationship between Edith and Anna is very complex. Did you always plan on making their troubled friendship central to the book, or did it grow out of your research?

Jennie:
It wasn’t until three months into the writing of the book that I decided to add a secondary protagonist, someone who could view Edith objectively. Anna Bahlmann seemed the perfect character as she was with Edith on and off since her days as Edith’s governess until the year Anna died in 1916. To have kept Anna with her so long, I assumed they must be very close, but biographers had hardly mentioned her.  

Then after I’d already written many chapters of the book, a miracle occurred. Over 100 letters from Edith to Anna which had been moldering in an attic came up for auction at Christies! Everything I supposed about their relationship was true. They were loving and close since Edith’s childhood, and she trusted Anna with a great deal. I grew more and more intrigued with this shadowy figure.

Questions began to arise. Why, for instance, during the summer after the onset of Edith’s affair with Morton Fullerton, was Anna suddenly sent to Europe on a trip that was considered a gift from Edith? Earlier, in letters to other people, it was clear Edith was upset and even annoyed when Anna wasn’t around to help her, so why was it arranged for them to be suddenly so much apart? Though I have no hard evidence that Anna was disturbed by Edith’s relationship with Fullerton, many events suggested she’d been sent away. I wanted Anna to be the book’s conscience. If Edith was unhappy, disturbed by her splintering relationship to Morton, it made sense she’d send Anna off on a trip.

Another intriguing coincidence is that I had created a warm alliance between Anna and Teddy. After I’d written most of the book, I found letters from Edith to others that said that Anna was a calming influence over Teddy on his worst days, the only one patient enough to sit with him, that he was asking for her—exactly as I had written it.  

Anna supports Edith’s writing as a typist, early reader, and—in a way—editor. Did Edith ever include Anna in her Acknowledgements? How did Anna’s involvement in Edith’s work complicate their relationship?

Jennie:
Though she never acknowledged Anna publicly as far as I know, in letters directly to Anna, she thanked her. In fact, in one letter early in Edith’s writing career, she sent Anna the check she received for a story saying, “The story is so associated in my mind with the hours that we spent in writing it out together, & I owe its opportune presentment & speedy acceptance largely to the fact that you were here to get it written out at a time when I could not have done so, that I have a peculiar feeling about your having just this special cheque & no other as a souvenir of our work together.”  

In her published biography, A Backward Glance, she spoke warmly about her relationship to Anna when she was a child “my beloved German teacher, who saw which way my fancy turned, and fed it with all the wealth of German literature, from the Minnesingers to Heine.”   

But in a later autobiographical fragment that was never published she said, “My good little governess was cultivated & conscientious, but she never struck a spark from me, she never threw a new light on any subject, or made me see the relation of things to each other. My childhood & youth were an intellectual desert.”

If she is referring to Anna in this sentence, (I hope she is not) it saddens me a great deal. In any case, I believe Edith saw Anna as something of a servant. She certainly did straddle Edith’s world and the world of the household staff, as beloved and essential as she seemed to be. At the same time, Edith generously took Anna on foreign trips, out to dinner and to the theatre with her. Without Edith, her life might well have been merely that of a teacher.

As I have written Anna, she sees her place in life as a helpmate and accepts that Edith is the chosen one. She is proud of her association with Edith and content with her place in life.

Edith Wharton is one of your favorite writers. How did that influence your writing?

Jennie:
Well, I must say, I felt very conscious of the language I used. I wanted it to be appropriate to the era, hard-working and beautiful all at once. I could never dream of writing as exquisitely as Edith. I often get chills when I read her writing. If angels could write, they’d write as she did. The music of her language is instructive and breathtaking. But I tried to write in a way that I felt might please her. Also, I often started my writing sessions by reading a few pages of one of her books. I never get tired of her books, no matter how often I read them.
 
The book follows Edith’s sexual awakening. What was it like writing sex scenes for such a well-known writer?

Jennie:
Not many people know this, but when Edith died, among her effects, her literary executor found some pornography that she’d penned. There was nothing shy about this work. It was bold, shocking, and also, of course, exquisitely written. While I did not use any of the language of this piece (named Beatrice Palmato, for those who are curious—and yes, it’s on the internet) it did instruct me as to how she viewed sex and passion, and gave me insight into what excited her.

Paris figures heavily into the book. What did the city mean to Edith? What’s your relationship to Paris and did it figure into the writing of the book?

Jennie:
Edith adored Paris. It was everything that New York wasn’t: culturally oriented, worldly, beautiful. She found New York society closed and stifling. She blossomed when she finally moved to France full-time, and her devotion to France is clear in how she helped the women of France during World War I with her workrooms and charities. (France awarded her the Cross of the Legion of Honor for her work during the war.) She had loved Paris as a child, and even more as an adult. And of course, she fell in love with Morton while in Paris. That would forever insure a place for Paris in her heart.

There was a period where I did not like Paris. I found it jostling and sad. But about the time I began the book, I also began a new relationship to Paris, and fell in love with it all over again.  

By the end of the book, Edith’s husband Teddy is not a very sympathetic character. Did you know much about Teddy when you began this project? Did you find yourself taking sides?

Jennie:
I knew nothing of Teddy when I took on the project, but it wasn’t long before I discovered that he suffered in later life from Manic Depression at a time when people didn’t know what to make of that or how to treat it. Truthfully, I see Teddy as a very sympathetic character who married a woman unsuited to him, and then, distraught, fell victim to mental illness (which seemed to run in his family.) If Teddy could have spent his later years at the Mount with his pigs and horses, he might have been a much happier man. Edith was an intellectual. Teddy was anything but. Yet, he adored Edith. And for a long time, he was a kind and patient husband to her. Thinking of Teddy’s life saddens me.

You were an advertising creative director before becoming a novelist. Both are creative, but in different ways. How did your past career help in your current one?

Jennie:
My advertising career has affected my fiction writing in myriad ways. For one thing, I am always conscious of trying to tell a story in the least words possible. After years of cramming twenty thoughts into thirty seconds, one gets pretty good at writing minimally! Advertising also taught me to be disciplined, to work well under strict deadlines, and to work every day. What I loved in advertising also interests me in my fiction: to solve puzzles. The tighter the strictures of the assignment, the more intrigued I am. 

I love being creative in a small box. This came into play with this book. I had to tell a story that already existed but I had to shape it into a book. It was a Rubik’s Cube. The elements were all there, but they needed to be twisted into the right order to create a satisfying pattern. Also, I was forced to read between the lines. Edith kept such clear diaries; her life was mapped out almost daily. But what really happened at the theatre that night? Why did Anna leave at that time for New York? Why did Morton act the way he did? It was a delicious puzzle and I very much enjoyed solving it to my satisfaction. I hope I’ve done Edith’s life justice.

What’s your writing regimen?

Jennie:
Generally, I walk in the mornings and do errands. I write in the afternoons. Usually I read starting at 1 or 2 pm. (While I was working on THE AGE OF DESIRE I always read something by Edith). Then, with a strong cup of tea I get down to work by three. I write in my writing room, a large old sleeping porch with windows on three sides overlooking my backyard. I sit in a comfortable chair with an ottoman, my MacBook Pro on my lap. I rarely write more than three hours at a time, usually less. But it’s extraordinary what three dedicated hours can generate as far as pages. If I get five good pages a day, I’m thrilled. But not every day can be a successful day. I always take weekends off—perhaps a holdover from my years in advertising. My brain needs time to recharge!

What’s next for you?

Jennie:
I'm working on a new biographical novel about a woman who was world-famous in the 1890's but that few people know about today. She was one of the richest women in the world, accomplished, highly intelligent, beautiful and charming. Because of her power and fame, she was able to go places where most women weren't allowed, and used her access to further the cause of women. 

She was also an art-lover, and one of the first Americans to purchase Impressionist paintings. She and her husband bought hundreds which now make up the majority of the Art Institute of Chicago's collection. If you can guess her name, you're good! If not, I'm hoping my book will make her far more well known.  

Jennie, thank you for giving us a look behind the scenes of how and why THE AGE OF DESIRE came about. It’s fascinating what old letters can inspire.

For those unfamiliar with Jennie, she received an MFA in creative writing from the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop and is the author of the novels Lily Beach, Crossing Brooklyn Ferry, and The Middle Ages. 

An Illinois native, she spent twenty-five years as an advertising creative director in New York and currently lives with her husband in Nashville, Tennessee.

For more information on Jennie and her writing, visit her website at www.jenniefields.com  

GIVEAWAY GUIDELINES:
To enter this giveaway, please send me an e-mail (mcbookshelf@gmail.com) with the subject line, “Win THE AGE OF DESIRE.” Your message should include your name and mailing address. The contest is open to residents of the U.S. only. And, just so you know, I don’t share this information with anyone other than the publisher nor use it for any other purpose. The deadline to enter this giveaway for a chance to win one of two copies of THE AGE OF DESIRE is 8 p.m. (EDT) on Sunday, June 9.

Thanks so much for dropping by today. I hope you’ve enjoy learning some of the history of this book as much as I have. Have you ever found old letters and wondered what was the history behind them? Do you still write letters?