Book Within a Book

I love seeing Anne with personality. Thank you for the peak at your WIP. I see Anne and Darcy as rambunctious playmates, but proper for the adults. For Anne’s book, how about simply, Intended Love?

Kara, I am so excited to see you on this site. I only discovered Austen Authors and The Darcy Brothers a little over a week ago. I worked full time until recently and didn’t do much exploring of sites while working. And I am finding it is dangerous to my getting much else done…LOL. Am only now going back & putting in reviews on books I have read. I have 6 of your books and have read all or parts repeatedly, I am wondering why I don’t have the other 2. I will go on Amazon and look into that. Abigail recommended you to me when I sent her an e-mail. I have about 90 books in this JAFF genre.

Now to this excerpt: it already has me hooked. Having worked with children as a profession and having three of my own with 2 grandchildren, I favor Anne and Darcy being fairly normal in health and interactions while young. Even if she is to be sickly, all children want to join in the action while in their youth and dare to take chances. I would see Anne developing health problems closer to puberty and at the same time coming more under her own mother’s scrutiny. Lady Catherine does not seem to have prejudices against outside walks so possibly Anne was allowed to play outside with Col. Fitzwilliam and/or Darcy when they came to visit. Darcy would always be the protective one and would monitor any mischief suggested by Richard. And I would allow Darcy some adventure as a child: intelligent children do like to observe and explore. BIRTH ORDER: not all children follow those descriptions. My children agree with me that my second born acts just like the first born roles described. And my first and second are only 2.5 yrs. apart. I like the Intended Love title.

For the society in which these children would grow up, would they not be with nannys and have limited contact with the parents? They would be expected to show proper deference to adults. Just cannot see the elder Mr Darcy giving Fitzwilliam horsie back rides. If that is the scenario, they would be reserved around adults and the conversations about marriage would go over their heads and be of little consequence to them.

Lady Catherine as a doting mother?? I think that a healthy rompish Anne would be a pawn from the beginning. “They are formed for each other” was probably spouted regularly in their hearing but with no meaning to the children. Their interests would be toys, games, and treats.

One thing they would be aware of is the special treatment and attention Fitzwilliam receives as heir. I would imagine he was watched carefully, especially by the held-responsible nannys, and not allowed as much freedom as the other children. This would cause a natural tendency for the children to go about their rambunctious games and Fitzwilliam left to the periphery. After awhile, patterns like this could be set. I could see, If Wickham was allowed to participate, he would take advantage of the situation, baiting Darcy knowing he cannot respond without chastisement by the nannys. No fighting for Darcy – he might get hurt.

Anne may have seen this trend and tried to engage Darcy, but she is a girl! Would Darcy risk teasing about being friends with a girl? Their interactions would be limited to times when separate from others. At those times I would like to think they got along famously.

Would hope Anne is forbidden activity after a childhood illness and will improve when allowed more physical activity and off meds.

LOL. May be waay off and very wordy, but there you are!

A great start! I especially like ‘The Intended Cousin” as a title.

First let me say that I’ve been a fan of your writing since your first story in 2001. I remember eagerly antipating each new chapter posted and still have Pemberley’s Promise in a 3-ring binder in a drawer in my bedroom. I’ve read all your stories and am delighted to see the new novel in progress above!

I see Anne as a shy child because of the domineering and overprotective mother, who may have at some early point caused Anne’s poor health by overmedicating her for a simple illness and continued the medicating her and thus causing the downward spiral of her health and growth. But I’m not a medical doctor or nurse so don’t even know if this would be a possible result of that.

I see Darcy as an inquisitive and active boy, but also very aware of his manners and demeanor when with adults. I see him actively participating in all things Richard and Wickham instigate, although stopping at dangerous or malicious activities. I see him being very protective of his cousin Anne and maybe hanging back to make sure she’s not left alone while Richard and George go off to roughhouse. I don’t think Anne nor Darcy have any real idea of what it means to be “intended” for marriage at first. They don’t understand until they approach puberty, and then I think Darcy would want to avoid thinking about it and Anne might be looking forward to it because she remembers how kind her cousin Darcy has always been to her and her need to get away from her domineering mother. But I think by this time in her life (late 20’s) she understands that marriage to Darcy would be horrible for him and would sacrifice her happiness for his.

Can’t wait to read this – and I like both titles. You choose what you like best.

I can’t imagine anything changing between Darcy and Anne as they would be too young to care.
Unless we find out if anything had happened to Anne as she grew up I still imagine her as a scared mouse as a child especially in the presence of her mother. It all depends who else is in her life. I am going to presume that Darcy was a typical boy as he grew up – but still well-mannered. .

Another title could be ‘ My Own Love’

Wonderful excerpt, Kara!! The exchange between Elizabeth and Anne about music and writing was so lovely…I could see it happening 😉 . And, fwiw, I really liked the title “Intended to Love.”

I have to say that I like the stories where all of the cousins get into mischief as children. So, I would like to see this charasteristic in Ann and Darcy. Their changes don’t come until later in life when life becomes more complicated. I do like stories where Ann and Elizabeth become friendly, so I happy that you are going in that direction. Can’t wait to see where you are going with this story… 🙂

I actually think the title might be better as Intended to Marry. I think Darcy should be a rambunctious young man as all children are but with good manners and consideration for others as well as being a empathetic. Anne should be an active young girl who has not yet been I’ll. I like the excerpt and the fact that Anne’s talent is writing. thank you for sharing that with us.

I think Anne was a healthy but shy girl. Since she was an only child, she probably had limited interaction with other children her own age, except when she was with Fitzwilliam and Darcy. Lady Catherine would never have permitted her to interact with nearby children from the “lower sphere” of society. Holidays with her cousins were some of her fondest memories; moments when she didn’t have to perform to meet her mother’s exacting standards or be under her governess’s strict discipline. Fitzwilliam would find mischief, and his two quieter cousins went along with it. Darcy was kind to Anne, and Darcy became the protective brother she never had. Her father was a mitigating influence on Lady Catherine and made light of the supposed engagement between the cousins. Anne’s world suddenly shifted upon her father’s death and her own weakened condition from contracting diphtheria. This disease left her heart damaged and her muscles weakened. Lady Catherine became more controlling and overprotective after losing her husband and almost losing Anne as well.

What a great excerpt! I like the idea of a novel within a novel. It’s no surprise that Anne writes as she has been so dominated by her mother throughout her life. As a young child, I think she would have rebeled against the confines of her up-bringing and joined in the adventures that Darcy and the Colonel got into. They would have been close and loved being together not truly understanding what ‘promised for each other’ really meant. She would have been frustrated that the boys had more freedom and more opportunities than she would ever have. But I see her trying to at least have her share even if they were very small. I see Darcy trying to help in that regard as well. All this before she fell ill and was smothered even more by her mother…not allowing her much interaction after that with her cousins in case they brought in any ‘germs’ to infect her further.

Yes, I really like this concept and can’t wait to read the book! Knowing how much I enjoyed ‘Only Mr. Darcy Will Do’ and ‘Darcy’s Voyage’, this will be delight as well.

As to the tilte of Anne’s book, I like ‘The Intened Cousin’ only because I think a publisher during that time would be inclined towards it. I do like the other as well

I’d love to read more about Miss de Bourgh; I always wonder what else Austen had in mind for her character.

Based on Mrs. Reynolds, I think Mr. Darcy was definitely a well-mannered, thoughtful boy.

I don’t like Intended to Love much. Love was never a consideration of the “intent”. Intended for something, but not love. I see Anne being a happy but reserved child whose health and demeanor deteriorates as her body grows and taxes her heart. Darcy and Fitzwilliam being fun cousins and playing with her until she no longer could. Of course as time went on and they got more understanding of the marriage intent, it would have put a strain on the relationship and changed the way they interacted. I like Anne and Elizabeth being friends. Anne would have female insights into Darcy from WAY back that no one else would.

I love stories where Darcy has a rival

Love Only Mr. Darcy will Do and Pirates and Prejudice!

This is an absolutely fabulous concept, Kara!

For Anne to have the spunk to write when she knew her Mother would have apoplexy, she must have been a real pistol before she got sick.

How about “Intended from Infancy” or Betrothed from Birth” or “Matrimonial Mischief”. Actually, it doesn’t matter as I already know I will enjoy both books in one.

By the way, Master Under Regulation made me cry happy tears at the end. Have read Pirates and DVD several times. I love your character development! Love, love, love.