Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors!
So sorry I was absent last week, but my husband had just had open heart surgery and I was taking care of everything at the house while he was still in the hospital. He’s home now and doing extremely well, but it was a tense few days that I hope not to repeat again!
This week I’m beginning snippets from my upcoming Regency Christmas novella, It Happened Under the Mistletoe. It’s a companion piece to last year’s It Happened at Christmas, and is the story of Roger, Lord Daventry (friend of Nicholas, Lord Benberry from It Happened at Christmas) and Lady Sylvia Montgomery.
In this first snippet, Roger has come with his cousin to a winter’s ball in London to meet the young lady the cousin is enamored of. But Roger loses his cousin in the crowd, with quite unexpected results.
I’m still working on the blurb, but will have it done by the time I release it (this coming week) and here next Sunday.
EXCERPT:
Where the deuce had his cousin and the elusive Miss Attwater gone to? Twisting around to spot them, he followed his cousin’s example and rose onto his toes to give himself the extra inch or two advantage. Still no sight of the couple, but in the process of turning back, Roger bumped into a gentleman attempting to hurry toward the ballroom floor.
The momentum sent Roger stumbling backward. Unable to regain his balance, he fought to keep from crashing into anyone, and lost that battle immediately. He bumped into a different gentleman, who dropped the quizzing glass he was holding, though he immediately picked it up and glared at Roger through it. Roger didn’t have time to care as he stumbled next into a lady, knocking her into the gentleman to whom she was speaking. His feet seemed to have a mind of their own and neither with the sense to balance him. He careened off the offended woman and pitched forward, landing with a jarring crack as his knees hit the parquet flooring, bringing him to a merciful, though abrupt, halt.
And now to finish the scene :
Panting and completely aware of the silence all around him, Roger stared straight ahead, willing everyone in attendance to simply ignore his blundering progress and go about their business. After a moment, talking resumed, along with a few titters of mirth, and he breathed a great sigh–the whole escapade could’ve been worse, perhaps, but not by much.
About to rise and resume the hunt for his blasted cousin, Roger suddenly realized he’d been staring for some time at smooth, white satin fabric with a fine design of white birds and flowers woven into the material. Obviously a woman’s skirt; ergo the woman it belonged to had been standing over him the entire time. Accepting that the evening could absolutely get no worse, Roger raised his chin and gazed into the face of an angel.
It Happened Under the Mistletoe will release this week, so keep an eye out for the release party here on my blog.
And don’t forget to check out the rest of the Warriors here. There’s some fantastic snippets to be read.
Christmas Romance Novellas
by Jenna Jaxon
Oops! 🙂
I can hardly wait to read this.
I hope your dear hubby’s recovery is coming along swiftly. You are amazing. I have no idea how you get it all done. ❤
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Poor guys – both the embarrassed Roger and your husband. I’m glad you and your husband are both recovering from his ordeal!
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Thank you so much, E.D.!
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An embarrassing situation for sure, but maybe the lady will help him forget about it.
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We find out her reaction next week, Elaine. 🙂
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Now that the lady in the white skirt has seen him at his least heroic, what is he going to need to do to erase this first impression? And give your husband my best wishes. Us guys have to stick together, you know.
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Thank you, Ed. I did tell him and he said thank you!
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Poor Roger – things aren’t going well. What an embarrassing calamity.
Glad your husband’s health is improving.
Tweeted.
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Thank you so much, Daryl, for the kind thoughts. And yes, Roger’s evening is starting out a little hellish, to say the least. 🙂
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The scene starts out sounding like something from a slapstick comedy, and then ends so sweetly.
I hope your husband continues recovering speedily!
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Thank you, Carrie-Anne! I did have slapstick or screwball comedy in mind for this meeting. Something a little out of the ordinary. 🙂
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Glad to hear everything went okay for your husband! Enjoyed the snippet, felt very sorry for the character but of course now he’s met his ‘angel’ LOL. I love Regency Christmas stories!
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Thank you so much, Veronica! And now he’s met her, what will she think of this rather odd entrance? 🙂
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I’m glad your husband is recovering well.
Re the snippet: What an awkward way to meet!
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A cute “meet cute” it’s not. LOL Thank you so much, Aurora, for your kind wishes.
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I could so easily picture this entire scene, and the last bit brought a big smile to my face. 🙂 Very glad to hear your husband is doing well. I don’t doubt that was a stressful time. *hugs*
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Thank you so much, Julie! yes, I keep having to take deep breaths and drop my shoulders, which are up around my ears these days. LOL
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Oh, sounds like a horrible experience, but I think he ended up right where he needed to be. Great snippet!
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Thank you, Jessica. Indeed he did! 🙂
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