Dangerous Magic: Cover Reveal

It’s snowing here in the South of England with blizzard-type conditions, so this would be a great time for Darcy and Elizabeth to be stuck indoors together in an isolated hut somewhere where they would have to sleep under the only blanket if they wanted to stay warm…  In any case, our current storm is particularly relevant, because guess what it’s called? Storm Darcy!

But seriously, English houses are not equipped for very cold weather, and I’m talking about modern houses. I can’t imagine what it must have been like living in a huge historic house like Pemberley, where you had only fireplaces in some of the rooms to keep you warm. Moving around the corridors must have been very cold in weather conditions like this, since they had no source of heating. And the bed chambers weren’t heated at night, of course, so it would have been very cold. No wonder they had to wear night caps! When I lived in Massachusetts, I learned that around 45% of body heat is lost through our heads, so wearing a cap would have helped to keep Regency gentlemen warm. In this type of weather, I can’t help thinking about ‘The Night Before Christmas’ (1823) when I think of night caps, with the line

And mama in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap.

I wonder what kind of cap Mr. Darcy would have worn? Would it be this type? I do like the green banyan, but I don’t think Mr. Darcy would have yawned quite so rudely.

© The Trustees of the British Museum

Or would it be this type of night cap? It seems to me the first one would be a bit more appealing 😊.

But of course, night caps are not the point of this blog post. I’m not here to write about nightwear. I just got a bit carried away. With all the anxieties and worries of the last year, my brain just seems to flit from from one thing to another. Does anyone else have this problem?

Anyway, today I’m delighted to introduce my latest creative work to our wonderful readers, Dangerous Magic. It’s been a particularly important writing project for me. With all the negative energy, chaos, and sadness of the last year, writing this novel provided a perfect escape from the modern day into the past. It was a time-travel of sorts for me, a trip to the past instead of to the beach. The novel is firmly grounded in Regency England, but adding a touch of magic to it  felt like an extra dimension, making it even more of a fairy-tale than it usually is. I loved seeing both Darcy and Elizabeth rise to the challenges that confronted them in that context and learning to appreciate each other’s qualities along the way. This isn’t a story about misunderstandings [although I love those types of stories, too. I’m finishing one right now], but about having to overcome genuine obstacles between them in order to accomplish their goals. Strangely enough, despite the fantasy element in this novel, I feel that Darcy and Elizabeth in are the closest I’ve ever written to canon Pride & Prejudice. So, as you can probably guess, I really enjoyed the process of writing Dangerous Magic, and I’m pleased, too, with the end result.

So, without much ado, here is my cover, revealed! It’s very different from my usual covers, but I think it captures the feeling of the novel well. And here’s the description as well.

I’ll be posting the Prologue on Tuesday 16^th, so don’t forget to check back next Tuesday!

Dangerous Magic

A sparkling tale of Regency England, a forced marriage, and two mages who must work together to save the Kingdom.

Elizabeth Bennet is stunned when the Royal Mages come to her peaceful country home of Longbourn to take her away. She is even more bewildered when she is commanded to marry a powerful mage by the name of Fitzwilliam Darcy. She has always dreamed of marrying for love, and an arranged marriage with an arrogant stranger was never part of her plans.

But Darcy and Elizabeth have no choice in the matter. Uniting their two forms of magic is essential for the Kingdom to defeat Napoleon’s mages. Darcy and Elizabeth may dislike each other on sight, but they must overcome their differences and find common ground before it is too late. Fortunately, it is not long before the sparks begin to fly between them.

Join the author of ‘Fortune and Felicity’ in this enchanting story of determination, love, and hope against all odds.

Dangerous Magic is available for pre-order and will be coming out on March 15th.