Mr. Darcy – Bitten – Release by Mary Simonsen

If it’s October, then it’s werewolf time! As many of you know, I wrote the novel, Mr. Darcy’s Bite, that was published in 2011 by Sourcebooks. That was followed in 2013 by the sequel, Mr. Darcy Bites Back. The response to both was so positive that I serialized a prequel, Mr. Darcy – Bitten, here on Austen Variations. After reading my story, many/several/some people asked that I make the book available as an e-book and expand the love story of Darcy and Elizabeth. I have done that, and I would say that about a third of the book is new content. Original content has been revised.

Why do I keep writing werewolf stories when the paranormal craze seems to have passed? I’ll begin by telling you that of all my books my favorite is Mr. Darcy’s Bite, and there’s a simple reason for that. Despite the cover that shows Mr. Darcy with fangs bared, this is a book about love and acceptance. Can Elizabeth accept the fact that the man she loves becomes a werewolf for two days in the lunar calendar? If she can, her life is forever changed. Not only must she love Mr. Darcy, she must protect him from people who would do him harm if they knew of his secret. His alternate life requires constant vigilance from all those who love Fitzwilliam Darcy.

In Mr. Darcy – Bitten, we go back to the beginning when fourteen-year-old Master Fitzwilliam Darcy is bitten by a werewolf in the Black Forest while on holiday with his family. In the story, a parent’s agony and a boy’s terror are detailed. By the time, Darcy has become a man, he has accepted that his life will forever be ruled by forces beyond his control. But the question is: will an accidental meeting with a she wolf fourteen years earlier prevent Darcy from being with the woman he loves? Here is an excerpt from Mr. Darcy – Bitten:

Although Elizabeth did not see him, Darcy was there, and he smiled as he looked at Lizzy framed by the window. She looked adorable in her night dress and cap, and he thought how wonderful it would be to have her come to him in his bed at Pemberley and lay beside him. Thinking of such a scene, he let out a great howl that pierced the quiet of the evening. 

A wolf howling in Hertfordshire was not the best idea, and Darcy’s manservant—the man who had dedicated his life to protecting his master—is scared witless:

“I was in the public house when I heard your cry,” Mercer said, “and within a minute, every man, sober or not, was talking about guns and spring traps and organizing a hunt.”

Darcy admitted that it was a foolish thing to do.

“Then why did you do it?” During the second day of nightfall, Mercer’s nerves had been shredded as he listened to villagers and farmers discuss the possibility that there was a wolf loose in their neighborhood.

“Because I was happy!” Darcy answered, all regrets disappearing at the thought of his lovely Elizabeth. “It is that simple, Mercer. For a few moments, I was honestly and truly happy! And that is what wolves do when they are happy. They howl—long and loud! I can count on one hand the moments of pure joy I have experienced since I was fourteen years old and became this—this creature—this man-animal that people loathe without knowing why. When I saw Elizabeth at the window, she was looking for me, and that alone gave me hope—something I have been without from the time I left Kent.” 

Sourcebooks has lowered the price of the e-book of Mr. Darcy Bites to $2.99 on Kindle. This is a temporary price cut, so if you want the novel, please order it ASAP. The novellas are available on Kindle and Nook for .99.

Happy Halloween.

Mr. Darcy Bitten on Kindle and Mr. Darcy Bitten on Nook for .99

Mr. Darcy Bites Back on Kindle and Mr. Darcy Bites Back on Nook for .99

Mr. Darcy’s Bite on Kindle for $2.99