Anne Gracie is here with us today to celebrate her latest release, The Autumn Bride.
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The Trouble With Minor Characters . . .
I’ve always had trouble with minor characters. When I first started writing I was told I had too many of them, that I should just stick to the hero and heroine. I try, but I’m always battling minor characters who want to take over.
In my latest book, the Autumn Bride, a minor character, an old lady, not only took over, she pretty much stole the show.
The Autumn Bride is the start of a new series about four girls — Abby, her sister and two friends — all orphans, all trying to make ends meet in a London where respectable jobs are scarce and badly paid.
They vow to stick together, like sisters, because women without family are very vulnerable.
One night in a bold act born of desperation, Abby climbs through the window of a mansion, intending to steal something. Instead, finds Lady Beatrice Davenham, a lonely, vulnerable old lady, bedridden and at the mercy of neglectful and unscrupulous servants.
Abby tiptoed closer to the bed, straining her eyes in the darkness. What she’d taken for a bundle of clothes piled on the bed was an old woman lying awkwardly, fallen between her pillows, her bedclothes rumpled in a twist.
“You’re a gel. Wearing breeches, but I can still tell you’re a gel.”
“Yes.” Abby waited. If the woman screamed or tried to raise the alarm she’d dive out of the window. It was risky, but better than being hanged or transported.
“You’re not here to kill me?”
“No.”
“Pity.”
Abby blinked. “Pity?”
After several more nocturnal visits, Lady Beatrice invites Abby and her ‘sisters’ to move in with her, and everyone’s fortunes change. The girls become the Chance sisters — their second chance at life. Lady Beatrice gets a second chance, too.
“I’ll take the very best care of you, as if you were indeed my beloved aunt. We all will,” Abby said.
“I believe you, child. You’ve already done me a power of good.”
Abby was puzzled. “In what way?”
“I was so bored before you came along! Now I have gels in breeches climbing through my window at all hours of the night, bringing me soup and conversation and plotting to sack my butler. And gels kicking my cook—I want to meet this Daisy who’s terrified of me and yet can kick my cook! She’s a sizable grim wench, Mrs. Caudle!—and gels bringing me cats and kittens, and who knows what else? For the first time in . . . oh, forever, I want to see what the next day brings.”
Abby looked at her in astonishment, then found herself grinning. “It’s going to be an adventure for all of us, isn’t it?”
“It is, dear gel, it is,” Lady Beatrice said. “And I can’t wait.”
And it is an adventure, especially when Lady Beatrice’s nephew returns after nine years abroad. He knows she has no nieces, and he wants rid of these impostors.
“How did you meet my aunt? And spare me the faradiddle about being her niece, for I know the truth of that one.”
Abby eyed him cautiously. She wasn’t going to admit a thing she didn’t have to. “Didn’t Lady Beatrice tell you?”
“Oh, yes,” he said, dry as sandpaper. “Apparently you flew in her window like a good fairy.”
I had such fun with this book. The Autumn Bride is a rags to riches story about the joy of friendship, second chances, sisterhood — and love. I hope you enjoy it.
Question: if you could have a second chance at something, what would it be? I’ll give a copy of THE AUTUMN BRIDE to someone who leaves a comment.
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Please note: you must include a valid email address with your comment to be eligible. Contest ends: 2/10/13 @ 11:59pm.
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A second chance at something? It’s very tempting to go all the way back to high school *grin* but nah–what I’ve lived is what’s brought me here, and all things considered, this is not such a bad place to be.
However, I do wish now and then that I had chosen a different major the last time I attended college (don’t ask, really). Does that count?
I’d love a second chance at naming my kids!!
Thanks Anne and Book Binge:)
alissacallenfiction AT gmail Dot com
I really wish I would’ve been more productive in college, and as a second chance, I’d definitely choose a different area of study!
Thanks for the giveaway!
readsalot81(@)hotmail(dot)com
I wish I had taken my mom on the trip to Australia that we both had on our wish list. We delayed because of the long flight and my job. Now that I am retired I will have to take it in her memory.
Eek. I’m not sure. There has been things where the “timing” was off for relationships, that when peeled back we realized, “You know we could have dated then IF…” so that might be nice. But at the same time, I probably wasn’t emotionally ready to be in the relationship even if the timing stuff had been fixed. There were OTHER things that needed to line up first.
And I liked my college major even if I should have majored in business…or teaching, neither of which I never wanted to do.
I think I’m mostly okay with things. Changing most any of them would have changed something I liked that turned out…and things I haven’t done yet that maybe I should have started earlier? I figure there’s still some time or the Universe will make something happen that it’s supposed to.
mshellion at gmail DOT com
I think I would ask for a second chance to just be a better person. That’s not to to say that I’ve been bad. I think that as we get older, we all wish we had been nicer in every way.
Congrats to Annie on the new release! Sounds fabulous and thanks for sharing 🙂 I’d have to say college. I’d be older and wiser and waste the time and money.
I have tried so hard to live without regrets, but that is not possible, of course. I wish I had lived healthier when it was easier. I love second chance stories and look forward to reading this one.
This sounds like a lovely book. I can’t wait to read it. I don’t really have many regrets, but I’d love to live my 20’s over again. I would definitely play more, work less.
jen(at)delux(dot)com
Sounds like a great story..can’t wait to read it.
I wish I had studied something in college that would have led me into a career with books – like Library Science or editing – instead I played it safe & studied and worked in business.
I wish I would have saved more money for my kids college. We saved some, but never thought prices would go up this much!
suegaluska (at) yahoo (dot) com
Sorry to come to this late. Lovely to see all the comments.
Azteclady, going back to high school? Hmm, dunno as I’d want that . And choosing different subjects at college definitely fits. The direction of a life hinges on such small things sometimes.
And Jane, yes, moving away can be so difficult to contemplate —but so rewarding in the end. But it’s never too late.
LOL Alissa — I had a friend who named and renamed her baby 3 times before her third birthday. But don’t so many kids these days rename themselves anyway?
Readsalot81 looking back I could have worked harder too, but hey, I look back on those years with great fondness. i had a blast — and if I’d been working like a dog the whole time, I wouldn’t have.
Leslie, yes, my mom also wanted to see Canada in autumn and then go south to visit relatives, but she never did. I think you’ll definitely have to come to Australia and raise a glass to your mother here.
Ms Hellion, that’s pretty much how I think, too — yes, I could have done this or that and my life would be different. Better? Maybe, but I’m okay with most of the choices I made.
Rowena, no use beating yourself about what was. At the time you probably weren’t thinking you were selfish — you were just doing what you had to do. Sometimes I think we women are so hard on ourselves. And it’s so lovely that you wised up in time.
Connie, I think your comment is very wise — looking back we always wish we’d been better in some way. But we can only change our present and maybe our future. Be happy now, is what I say.
Thanks Erin (love your dog pic) Seems college is something a few people wish they’d done differently. Never too late, though. I used to teach adults how to read. On3 of my students was 79 when he started and 83 when he left the class — and soooo proud of himself. As were we all.
They say the things we regret most are those we don’t do, not the things we’ve done.
Kellianne — I hear you on the getting healthier when it was easier. Oh well, have to live with that now. 🙂
Thanks Jen, I had a lot of fun writing this book. Hope you enjoy it. I worked like mad in my 20s and 30s and I agree — I wish I’d played more.
43Pratt, thanks, hope you enjoy the book too. Good luck in the draw.
Di, I went to a school reunion recently and looked at where other people had gone and wondered what my life would be like if i’d chosen different subjects. Becoming a writer changed a lot of things for me.
Sue G — it seems costs are going up and up. My friends are facing the same challenge — it’s so much more expensive than when we went to collage. I hope you win the lottery!
To have a chance to go back to university. I rue the choices I made in what to study being really undecided at that time.
Love your books Anne. Can’t wait to add this to my collection.
thumbelinda03@yahoo.com
Hmmm, a second chance at something…I’d probably choose to have a second chance with my old boyfriend. I probably could do that now if we didn’t live 2000 miles apart. We keep in touch but neither of us is in a position to move, unfortunately.
I like to think that if I had the chance to do college over again, I’d make different (educational) choices, but we’ll never know!
julieguan AT gmail DOT com
I wish I went away for college instead of attending a school close to home.
janie1215 AT excite DOT com
Aztec Lady,
Now I’m curious about just what you majored in college, the second time around…what was it?
As for me, if I had a second chance in life…I would have been a better mother to my daughter way back in the day. I was so selfish and because of that, she became such a shy child. We’ve come a long way since those early days but the guilt stays with me. I am glad that I wised up though because seeing her take joy in the smallest things makes me SO happy.
Linda and Julie, it’s so interesting that in retrospect quite a few people would opt to change their university/college choices. When you’re young you don’t really know the longer term effects of the choices you make. . .
Linda, thanks for your kind words. Hope you enjoy The Autumn Bride.
Barbara E, no chance of a fabulous new job for one of you that just happens to be in the same town as the other one? Wouldn’t that be nice? Thanks for dropping by.
having more fun at school
bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com
Oh the book sounds awesome.
And if I could change something it would probably be studying something I really enjoyed rather that something I just did really well. I’m good at science, I grew up with it, but secretly I would have liked to be a voice-over actress. 😀
But you know, having dropped out of Journalism and half way through Biology my mom wasn’t so keen on me dropping out again, so I finished that and now I’m officially a biologist. Which isn’t so bad most days.
animegirrl (at) gmail.com
This sounds like a great book & new series! The cover art drew me in, too! This may sound boring, but I would like a 2nd chance to start saving at a younger age & to stay out of debt. There are so many things I have spent money on over the years that were sort of a waste.
Having more fun at school is definitely a good one.
Alex, I think that’s why I chose my subjects, too. I never really thought where it would take me.
And with technology so accessible, there’s no reason why you can’t be a Secret Voice Over Actress 🙂 — seriously, you could record yourself on the web…
Sharlene, when I think of how much I frittered away… I can see your point. Thanks.
I would like the chance to go back to university and pick a different subject. Its something I’ve been thinking about a lot recently.
Congrats on the new release! It looks like something I would enjoy!
I think about trying a different career path. Blurb sounds great.
strive4bst(At) yahoo(Dot) com