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 [...]

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Mr Darcy’s First Appearance in Pride and Prejudice

  It’s always a great mistake to go onto Youtube because all I want to do is get out my DVD and watch it from start to finish! Here for your pleasure is the original text and the appropriate clip for comparison. Enjoy!  Elizabeth Bennet had been obliged, by the scarcity of gentlemen, to sit down [...]

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Pride and Prejudice, November 26th

In Pride and Prejudice when Elizabeth goes touring to Derbyshire with her aunt and uncle they visit Pemberley and to Lizzy’s horror she comes face to face with Mr Darcy. She’s really embarrassed because she’s turned down his marriage proposal and she is mortified at what he will think of her looking over his house [...]

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Lizzy and Darcy go to the Lakes!

As promised, a very small extract from my new book, Mr Darcy’s Secret! They were soon off again relieved to know that their destination was not far off. Little over an hour passed before they found themselves winding through an undulating road over low promontories and spacious bays, which gradually rose over the hills. From [...]

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Editing with Lizzy and Darcy

I’m at the editing stage of my latest work in progress. Surely this has to be the most trying and difficult part of writing a book. It’s when I feel I’m completely on my own – and I feel a little bit lonely. I start to read it through, feel quite pleased with how it’s [...]

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Haddon Hall, Derbyshire, a contender for Pemberley?

As they walked across the lawn towards the river, Elizabeth turned back to look again; her uncle and aunt stopped also: and while the former was conjecturing as to the date of the building, the owner of it himself suddenly came forward from the road which led behind it to the stables. They were within [...]

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Looking up at Chatsworth and Yummy Meringues!

When walking around Chatsworth there is so much to see that it’s difficult to know where to look first. In the painted hall alone which is the first major space you encounter there are statues and paintings galore all vying for your attention. Most incredible is the painted ceiling showing the apotheosis of Julius Caesar [...]

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A walk to Chatsworth

We were very lucky to be staying in Beeley because it is a short walk to Chatsworth. We set off across fields and over a bridge finding the river on the other side and following it all the way. It was a lovely sunny day when we first did the walk and signs of spring [...]

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In Pursuit of Pemberley and Mr Darcy!

I’ve been to Derbyshire for a few days on a research trip – (that’s my excuse anyway) with my lovely sister, her husband and my own. Derbyshire, of course, is home to Mr Darcy at Pemberley, and I wanted to see the landscape through Elizabeth Bennet’s eyes if that was possible and to see if [...]

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Easter with Mr Darcy!

Happy Easter everyone! I’m spending a few days near Pemberley – if I bump into Mr Darcy, I’ll let you know! I walked to Chatsworth yesterday, it was a beautiful day and I just kept thinking how wonderful it would have been if you could all have been there too. I shall post some new [...]

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