Announcing a New Series: My First Novel!

Back in 2015 I wrote a post called, "My First Completed Series," where I excitedly shared my first finished work outside of a small short story. Then in 2017 I was thrilled when a short play I wrote was given a reading. Since those highs my writing (and this blog) had gradually tapered off as I grew busier in my career in live theatre.

When "the world ended" last year, I returned to writing after being furloughed from my job. During this time I finally completed my first full-length novel. It's a fan fiction sequel to Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey, the first book she sold which unfortunately had to wait until a posthumous publication in 1818. It feels rather fitting for a first completed work of my own that comes years after I began writing; I'll be posting the first chapter this Saturday (September 4) right here on my blog.

First edition of Northanger Abbey and Persuasion in four volumes, from JaneAustens.house.

Even before the pandemic, I'd got into a Northanger Abbey kick. I can't tell you when I first read it but I really enjoyed the dramatic reading produced on Librivox, which I've listened to quite a lot in the last few hectic years. As an early Austen work it's glittering with comic treasures, a bit unpolished but loads of fun.

I also think it might have taken my getting to my 30s before I appreciated the very unlikely protagonist, one who Austen herself opens the book by saying: "No one who had ever seen Catherine Morland in her infancy would have supposed her born to be an heroine." She's not especially clever, talented, or beautiful. But this ordinary girl learns a lot about herself, the world around her, and always tries to live up to the ideals she believes in (even, and especially, when she's pressured otherwise).

Then, when everything stopped, I found that all those ideas I had been nursing in the back of my mind about this often forgotten character sprang to life in a most unexpected but delightful way. Northanger Abbey has very little fan fiction as opposed to its more popular sister novels. I hope that readers will not only enjoy what I've written, but perhaps rediscover (or find for the first time) a work that is comically brilliant and wonderfully endearing, the right dose or sugar and spice to warm any heart.

Alright, enough preliminaries, what about the actual novel? It's titled Gentlemen of Gloucestershire, and as a sequel explores what happens after "happily ever after" for a couple that has all the family drama of the Darcys with a fraction of their wealth and importance to manage it. Instead, an emergency forces Catherine Tilney née Morland to become the heroine she has been in training for her all her life. It features scheming in-laws, difficult situations, and plenty of humor to balance out the evolving relationship of a couple still in the early stages of their marriage with plenty to learn about themselves and each other.

Since completing all 31 chapters I've spent the last year editing, polishing, and wholesale rewriting this book. Major kudos and much gratitude go to Amelia Marie Logan, who beta read the entire work and gave me excellent critique and feedback. As usual, whatever errors remain now are entirely my own.

As I said, I will post the first chapter here on my blog this Saturday, with new chapters dropping here each Wednesday and Saturday after. I will also post on FanFiction.net, Archive of our Own, and the Derbyshire Writers' Guild the following Monday, so blog readers get the freshest updates. Mondays on the blog will feature background information or research I came across while writing, as well as my thoughts on Northanger Abbey and Jane Austen's works in general.

1907 title page from fiftywordsforsnow.com scanned ebook.

Every story needs readers to really make it come to life. To get the word out, not just about this story but the source material as well, I'm going to post something new about Northanger Abbey each day this week. Look for interviews with other fandom writers and works you may be interested in, culminating in the cover reveal for Gentlemen of Gloucestershire this Friday here on the blog.

To whet your appetite even more, I'm ending today's blog post with an excerpt from the first chapter. Over at Austen Variations, a blog for Jane Austen fan fiction, they use monthly themes as springboards for new story ideas. August's was “Up the Garden Path," which I found interesting since I have several scenes in my upcoming book featuring a garden. The following is a short teaser of what's to come.

Unfortunately, despite a promising beginning, Catherine's plans soon went awry. First was the discovery that some of the greens had drowned. Then the stable boy begged leave to go with a cousin just run up from the village, the family's sheep having fled pens damaged by the same cause. He, and his aunt the cook if possible, were needed to gather them back.

As a clergyman's wife Catherine always desired to accommodate the parish when possible, and needing little inducement to give up so discouraging a project as she had begun, generously released both servants. "And if I may be of assistance as well," she began to offer, but Mrs. Poole would not hear of it.

"For Mrs. Tilney to be seen shooing sheep! No, ma'am, we couldn't ask it of you."

"But just yesterday we were all after the apples," Catherine reasoned, and in truth, heartily wished she could quit her chores for so noble a cause, having more of a talent for rambles than housekeeping. "Surely it must be to anyone's credit to offer aid at such a time."

But the good woman could not agree, and promised to see to the garden upon returning. So Catherine contented herself with praying for their success while waving to them.

After a tedious morning of indoor tasks, she and the housekeeper were interrupted in reviewing the accounts by a fine pair of rats. It took both their efforts and one of the dogs to flush their quarry. Unfortunately the Newfoundland, just grown out of his infancy, took it as a reward to gambol about the rooms, including the study; where not finding his master, he leapt into the man's chair with devilish innocence.

"Brutus: no!" Catherine hated chiding, for she was very fond of the dog, and had in fact pleaded for him to remain inside more than Henry was wont to allow. And how did the animal repay her kindness? By ignoring her and settling more firmly into the chair, leaves and twigs affixing to the upholstery in an unholy mess. "Out!" she cried, and taking up the broom, chased him to the door as thoroughly as the earlier pests.

By this time she was altogether discouraged, and not a little bedraggled by her misadventures. She could not bear to pour over ledgers and figures at the moment; looking at accounts would need to be postponed. "We shall pick back up later in the day," she announced to her housekeeper. "I have some work to do, and Mr. Tilney will not be back until later, so there is no need to start anything before cook returns." After they had removed the dirty chair for cleaning, Catherine retreated to the drawing room and took up her box, while also attempting to read from a book propped before her. It was, perhaps, not the most productive means of conducting her affairs. Nevertheless the activity and location—for it was her favourite in the whole house—were most soothing to her nerves. Soon she was pleasantly engaged in considering the plight of some other young heroine who had far worse villains than sheep, rodents, or dogs to contend with. So it was that Catherine did not hear the knock at the front door when it sounded, leading her to drop needle and thread alike when a visitor was suddenly announced.

Who could be at the door? Post your guesses in the comments below, or let me know what your favorite part of Northanger Abbey is if you have one.