Intrigue and Mistletoe

 

 

Mischief and Mistletoe is out in the big wide world as of last week.  I am so delighted to be part of this anthology. 

Let me just meander aside here for an instant and mentiion that I haven't written a short story since I was in Grade School, so the whole concept was a bit baffling.  I had ta kinda feel my way through this.

Since I write Regency spies as my own particular metier, I figured my contribution to the anthology should be ... Regency spies.

I'm sticking with the secrecy and intrigue, of which there was any amount lying about in this time period, but shifting my focus just a bit.  One of the sad realities about spies in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries is that much of the spying they engaged in was against their own countrymen.  While the English crown certainly worried about the French armies milling about across the Channel, they were somewhat more terrified of the disaffected at home. They spied upon them diligently. 

In several of my books, my protagonists have been patriots on opposite sides of the long, bitter political struggle between France and England. In this short story, I considered the problems of a spy working in his own country. It's his duty to go undercover in England, playing a part, lying to Englishmen.

My hero, Jack, pretending to be a man he isn't, courted Elinor.  In the

pictures are attrib creativity+, jennydowning, 1sox4.

end, he betrayed her trust and broke the bone and sinew of her life when he uncovered the treason of her uncle. 

Just a job.  Just another job. 
He hadn't counted on falling in love with her.

Now it's two years later.  Christmas is the end of the old year, the beginning of the new.  From ancient times this has been the season of renewal and forgiveness.  I bring Jack and Elinor together, sheltering from the storm under the same roof, and ask the question, "Can she forgive the man who lied to her and betrayed her?"

Oh.  There's a secret list gone astray, naughty Latin texts, and a dangerous French agent flitting here and there about the corridors of the old inn.  The usual.   

So ... what's your favorite book about 'second chances' and 'forgiveness'.  I'm thinking Susan Elizabeth Phillip's Nobody's Baby But Mine and Sherry Thomas' Not Quite A Husband.

Comments

[Catherine]

My favourite book about "forgiveness" and "second chances" is Judith McNaught's PARADISE. Even though it's overblown, there's something about it that makes me go back to it (it gets a lot of re-reads, yes) when I feel stressed. It's so soothing to read about the utter devastation of the two characters, their reconciliation, and halcyon HEA.

[Anne Gracie]

Joanna, one of the things I really like about this collection is that each story so strongly showcases the style of each of the writers and yours is no exception.

Off hand, I can't think of any particular story of second chances, though the redemption theme is a favorite of mine. Good thing I'm not in the draw.

[Margot]

I can never think of any books when asked about a particular theme.

Actually, the book I just finished reading had that theme, but I didn't really like it all that much, so I don't think it counts.

[Leah Weller]

The Pleasure Of Your Kiss by Teresa Medeiros. I cried my eyes out with deep gut wrenching sobs. What a story of second chances, forgiveness, and deep love!

[joanna bourne]

Yes. I love McNaught and I particularly loved that book. It's just a stellar example of what they mean when they talk about 'chemistry'.

I should reread that (again) because I think it has a lot to teach us about the particular themes of change and forgiveness.

[joanna bourne]

Hi Anne --

Isn't it so true. Don't we all 'sound' like ourselves. The 'voice' comes through in 12 thousand words or in 90 thousand.

We all hit on similar themes in the anthology, but we approached them in slightly different ways.

[joanna bourne]

Hi Margot --

The 'forgiveness' theme is particularly suited to a 'second chance at love' story. I enjoy these when I read them, but I don't aprticularly seek them out.

I was about to say that I don't write these either ... then I realized that my last book, Black Hawk was just exactly that. A long, winding, complicated, 'second chance at love' story. (jo undergoes a realization and is a bit shaken by it.)

[joanna bourne]

>>>The Pleasure Of Your Kiss by Teresa Medeiros<<<

Okay. I had planned to acquire this and drop it on my TBR list, but have not yet done so. On your rec I will head off to buy it.

What wonderful praise, and I love Medeiros as a writer.

(I keep finding wonderful books when I hang around Word Wenches. Thank you.)

[joanna bourne]

I'll just add a floating comment here.

I posted a little excerpt of the story on my blog if you would like to pop over there and read it.

http://jobourne.blogspot.com/2012/10/mischief-and-mistletoe-and-my-own-short.html

[LouisaCornell]

I ordered my 'dead tree' copy of this anthology from Amazon and I cannot WAIT to read it. I LOVE Christmas anthologies. They help me to get into the Christmas spirit.

One of my favorite historical romances with a theme of redemption and forgiveness is an old Gayle Wilson book HIS SECRET DUCHESS. GREAT Story!

Yours Until Dawn by Teresa Medeiros is another favorite! Definitely a two hanky read.

[Janet McConnaughey]

King Lear.

Yeah, it's sorta a perverse reaction. But for some reason it's all I can think of, maybe because it's late.

[joanna bourne]

Hi Louisa --

I'm not familiar with Gayle Wilson. I will have to go look her up. And, indeed. Medeiros writes a sniffle-good book.

Yours until dawn always reminds me of Laura Kinsale's Flowers From the Storm -- one of my Kinsale favorites.

[joanna bourne]

Hi Janet --

Is one allowed to have 'favorite' Shakespeare? It seems presumptuous.

In any case, I could never warm up to King Lear's characters. It always seemed to me the most cynical of his works.

[V.Gracechild]

Second chance? Forgiveness? Redemption?

Can't beat C.S. Friedman's The Coldfire Trilogy. A different genre, but still... It's on my "desert island" list.

Loved "Intrigue and Mistletoe" (& the other stories) ! Glad it's available in "Nook-ese" so I didn't even have to wait for the bookstore to open.

Valerie

P.s. My second attempt at posting ... My first apparently went off to cyber-limbo... So now it will probably appear as a duplicate. Oh well. Sigh.

[joanna bourne]

I will seek CS Friedman out. I was trying for a fairly light touch in the forgiveness / redemption theme in this story. Not trying for anything too serious. And 12K words isn't much room. Barely more than a tweet, really.

[deniz]

Yum! I'm glad I ordered mine, I hope it comes soon!