Happy Monday, friends! It is exciting to start a new week with a lovely visit from author Grace Gibson! (I just love the alliteration her name gives to the post title! 😆) As you may have seen, Ms. Gibson just released her third book with Meryton Press titled Old Boots! 📖 I recently read and loved Silver Buckles, and I’m so eager to read more of Ms. Gibson’s irreverent and sharp humor!
Ms. Gibson’s blog tour for Old Boots begins today and she is stopping by to share about a dog who appears in Old Boots! 🐾🐾 If you are a reader of this blog, you might understand why this is of special interest to me! 🐕🦺 We hope you enjoy Grace’s post about Bandit! 🤗
Thank you so much for having me, Meredith. I am delighted to be here today to introduce your
readers to my new release, Old Boots.
Although I like cats very much, I am a ‘dog person’ and have known many mutts over the years—my own and those of friends and family. All of them have had their own distinctive personalities.
In this variation, I featured a particular kind of dog—the exasperating, untrainable, exuberant, witless hound whose self-confidence knows no bounds. If you have had such a dog, you might recognize him or her in the following excerpts.
Here is Darcy’s first impression of Bandit:
I looked askance at the source of the unpleasant odor in my coach. He was what could loosely be referred to as a hound but of such mixed parentage as to make him obscure in his features. Clearly, he was of a stupid disposition which rendered him delighted to be yelled at, thrilled to be chased with someone’s half-chewed slipper in his mouth, prone to running out in front of horses in pursuit of squirrels, cats, and blowing leaves, and otherwise being a blight on the entire canine species.
This is how Darcy introduced this dog to his sister Georgiana in a letter:
I told Georgiana of making the acquaintance of a country gentleman who was bookish and retiring. I mentioned his pleasant daughters and their unruly dog, and I even went much further than I normally would, describing a recent incident when Bandit arrived at the kitchen door with a limp cat hanging in his jaws.
Miss Bennet, who had gone down to talk to the housekeeper, released a rare, unladylike scream that startled Bandit into loosening his jaw, and the cat, who had only been playing dead, then ran away. Bandit gave chase, and he was only brought to ground an hour later and a mile away when I found him in the spinney, covered in mud, digging at a weasel’s hole.
Many weeks later, Darcy has occasion to introduce Bandit to Georgiana:
I am loath to admit how fiercely my heart pounded upon my return to a place that was ever-present in my mind. To cover my discomposure, I made a show of being glad to see Bandit and even unbent enough to ruffle his ears. He answered with ear-piercing barks of joy, slobbered on my sister’s gloves, trampled Mrs. Annesley’s shoes, and seeing the boy approach from the stables with a lead, he then made a game of running wildly down the drive, through a field, and into the spinney while being chased by half the household.
Writing about Bandit sparked many memories of our Buddy, a stray rescued from the middle of a busy road, who once arrived at the back door with a cat in his mouth. As in Old Boots, he cat survived and ran away. And not unlike Bandit—as we chased Buddy around our half-acre property threatening to throttle him the minute we caught him—our witless hound bounded joyfully away, never having had more fun in his life!
I hope readers will enjoy meeting Bandit. Some perhaps, may even recall moments of both the joy and exasperation of living with a naughty, irrepressible hound.
I love it, Grace!! Bandit is so funny and I absolutely love the idea of Mr. Darcy interacting with such an ill-behaved yet endearingly lovable puppers! 😁 Thank you so much for sharing, I cannot wait to read more! I’m relieved to say that Fezzik doesn’t seem to be following in Bandit’s paw prints just yet…although he does like to try and eat things he shouldn’t occasionally…like one morning a dead gecko! 🦎😲 All the best with your new release of Old Boots, Grace!
~ Book Description ~
Some form of devilry has come over Mr. Darcy.
Since his father’s death, Fitzwilliam Darcy has endeavored to be reliable, responsible, and restrained. But upon visiting Netherfield Park in Hertfordshire, he finds himself weary of the struggle to be so damnably well regulated and delights in a revival of the carefree mischief that characterized his younger days.
What brings on this sudden reversal? Perhaps it is a shocking incident that takes place upon his first entering the neighborhood when he rescues Miss Elizabeth Bennet from the raging current of a rain-swollen stream. The so-called “lady” does not prefer to be rescued, and Darcy’s subsequent dunking, rather than resulting in the gratitude that is his due, is met with her confounding resentment of his interference.
This tale of Darcy’s entanglement with the mysteriously grief-stricken Bennet family is interwoven with a love story—a most delicious exchange of looks, barbs, pranks, and innuendos as Miss Elizabeth, the “lightning bolt of Longbourn,”</spanregularly singes, frustrates, and humbles the man from Derbyshire.
~ Connect with Grace ~
~ About Grace ~
In addition to mosaic art, which I create at Studio Luminaria, my home-based glass shop in El Paso, Texas, I enjoy writing regency romance and Pride and Prejudice</span variations for pleasure.
~~~
GIVEAWAY TIME!!!
Meryton Press is generously giving away 6 ebook editions of Old Boots in conjunction with this blog tour!! Woot woot!
Commenting on this post and entering through the rafflecopter widget on this blog enters you in a chance to win!
- This giveaway is open worldwide. Thank you, Meryton Press!
- This giveaway ends July 20th!
My sincere gratitude to Janet Taylor, Meryton Press, and Grace Gibson for making this blog tour possible!
To continue learning more about Old Boots, check out the other stops on the tour!
I read and enjoyed both of this author’s stories. Love the cover – so different from most we see! Good luck with this release.
Thank you so much Sheila – I truly appreciate your thoughtful and thorough thoughts about this story! Best wishes to you during this long, hot summer!
I’ve read and enjoyed Silver Buckles several times and this is definitely another favourite! I absolutely adore this Darcy with his sense of humour and mischief! I love his dealings with Bandit who also made me laugh! He definitely forgives Elizabeth for being the cause of ruining his new boots! Even though he’s left with no option but to wear his old scuffed ones! Fabulous!
Hello Glynis! So wonderful to hear from you again! I am thrilled you liked Old Boots – I suspect you are a person who ‘dearly loves to laugh’ -thank you!
I thoroughly enjoyed Silver Buckles so I am certain I will love this one! The dog reminds me of my rescue puppy Chewy, who is mostly black lab and mischief.
Hi Brenda! Is a coincidence that our very naughty (and dense) rescue dog Buddy was also a black lab? Haha! I am sure you know all about just what kind of dog Bandit is in this story. Good luck on the giveaway and enjoy all of Chewy’s antics – so fun! If it helps to know, our Buddy mellowed into a sweet, laid back boy after a few years…
I adored Silver Buckles and am really looking forward to reading this,
I am so delighted you liked SB – I hope Old Boots is equally enjoyable and I am rooting for you to win the giveaway, Gill!
Congratulations, Grace! I just finished ‘Old Boots’ last night and it was ‘Spectacular’!!
Dear Carole in Canada – (that is how I always think of you, as in, gee I hope Carole-in-Canada likes this story…haha!) Anyway, please know your review on goodreads made my year – what a highlight! I really appreciate your well-written and insightful words…THANK YOU!
Darcy is definitely a dog person, too!
Perhaps unwillingly at first, but yes, by the end, he is definitely a dog person, Eva. Thanks so much for stopping by today and good luck in the drawing!
Thank you for hosting, Meredith! Congratulations, Grace! I love a story that features animals, and this one sounds fabulous!
I really appreciate that, Kelly! Thank you!
This looks hilarious. I’m looking forward to reading this selection. We have waaay too many dogs and I can sometimes laugh at their antics.
Oh dear, Colleen! I know just what “way too many dogs” is like – poor you! and lucky you! all at once… I hope you enjoy this particular dog’s story. Thanks for stopping by and good luck on the giveaway – I hope you win!
Oooh! Another Grace Gibson story! I’m quivering with excitement (much like my dog does with the thrill of going for a walk)!
Hi there Jan! You made me laugh – there is actually a scene in OB where Bandit is trying to “Sit” but he is quivering with excitement, shifting from paw to paw as if bitten by ants. I hope you enjoy this story and have a wonderful summer!
Thank you again for having me today and for your wonderful introduction, Meredith. I am lucky to be able to share my new release with your readers, I know you must be a dog lover with such an adorable poodle cavorting on the grass while you show off your latest read. What a cutie! Of all the dogs I’ve loved, my poodle was my favorite – I’m a little jealous! Have a wonderful summer of reading and hiking.
I do love it when authors include animals, especially dogs. Congrats on the new book!
Dogs are the best, aren’t they? Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting today, Robin!
I already love Bandit! I look forward to reading this one. Thanks for the chance to win a copy!
Hey Pam! Bandit would love you back and probably slobber all over your face! I am rooting for you to win the giveaway – good luck!
This book is my next read! I can’t wait to see how Bandit affects the relationship of Darcy and Elizabeth. Congrats on the new book, Grace!
Oh yay! I hope you enjoy Bandit’s efforts at matchmaking – turns out he has a knack for it! Poor Darcy and Elizabeth don’t have a chance! Thanks so much for stopping by today and happy reading!
This sounds like a really fun read! I can really imagine the situations described.
I do hope you have fun reading this story – thanks for stopping by to comment and good luck on the giveaway!
I can’t wait to read this one. It sounds fun. I look forward to seeing how Bandit helps Darcy and Elizabeth.
Bandit does “help” Darcy and Elizabeth get together quite often, Goes to show we should never underestimate a dog’s ability to cause disruption! Thanks for commenting today Kim – I have my fingers crossed you will win the drawing for a free copy!
I really enjoyed Silver Buckles and have been looking forward to your newest book! I do love a good dog story, especially a happy one ❤️
Hello Katherine! Thank you so much for your lovely comment. I am with you – I do not like sad dog stories and Bandit has the happiest ending, I assure you!
Bandit sounds fantastic.
Oh hi there! Nice to hear from you again! I loved writing about Bandit – though perhaps I was slightly grateful he is imaginary… Have a wonderful summer of reading!
This sounds such fun! I enjoy having pets in stories when it’s written humorously. It made me think of the scenes in Georgette Heyer’s Arabella where the hero unwillingly adopts a dog of uncertain pedigree, who absolutely adores his new master. I am both a dog and a cat person, I love them both. Currently we have cats, as they are easier pets, which we got after the dog went off to doggy heaven, but I miss having a dog in the house. Our dog wasn’t very naughty at all, which I am grateful for, because although such dogs are fun to read about I am sure they are more exasperating to live with!
Oh my goodness Ceri – I am SUCH a Georgette Heyer fan! Wonderful to hear that this scene reminded you of Arabella, – and yes! Dogs, especially naughty ones, can be wonderful charcters in a story. I am so sorry about your doggy – mine died over a year ago and I still miss him. Enjoy your kitties and good luck on the giveaway!
I enjoyed Silver Buckles, so I am looking forward to reading this book also! Thanks for the opportunity to win a copy of the book!
Hi Cyndy, I am glad to hear you liked Silver Buckles – thank you!
I’m thrilled that this book debuted as an Amazon #1 New Release, and this excerpt shows me a little bit of why. I loved Silver Buckles, a great read with its beautiful cover. I admire this cover too, so I expect to love this book as well. Thanks for hosting, Meredith. Good luck on your blog tour, Grace.
I really appreciate your comments, Suzan, and agree about the cover art. Janet is a wonder and we are so lucky to have her!
Love Grace Gibson’s work…looking forward to this newest novel!
So happy to hear that! Thank you!
I have purchased and read Old Boots and believe it to be one of the very best JAFFs out there. It was so great to read a book told told from Darcy’s first-person POV. There’s not enough of that! Congratulations on this excellent book. I’m off to read Silver Buckles!
Love the cover and hounds are a favorite breed in my family.
denise
Thank you for hosting, Meredith. It is always such a pleasure to visit your blog. I’m glad to hear that Fezzik behaves and doesn’t follow in Bandit’s paw prints! I know he is a cutie from your pictures of him. 🙂 Grace, you had a good example for Bandit! I loved reading your story about Buddy! I, too, and a dog lover and have quite a menagerie right now. I wouldn’t take for any of them though. Enjoyed reading this excerpt! Thank you for sharing it.
Someday I would like to see all your critters and meet you in person, Janet – wouldn’t that be fun? Thank you for everything!
I’m looking forward to reading this! Grace, I wish I lived neared to El Paso, so I could see your mosaic work in person! The photos on your Facebook page are gorgeous.
Oh I would love that! We could talk about art AND books, Xena. If you are ever find yourself near here let me know! Lovely to hear from you.
Oh I would love that! We could talk about art AND books, Xena. If you are ever find yourself near here let me know! Lovely to hear from you.
I have “Silver Buckles” which I enjoyed, and I look forward to the same with this new title!
Hi Ginna, nice to hear from you today! I hope you enjoy a story about a pair of old boots… Good luck in the drawing!
Oh, I love a story with a dog or a small child. Can’t wait to read this, so it’s going in the TBR hoard!
Lovely to hear from you Christina! I hope you enjoy this particular dog story – good luck in the giveaway!
I loved Silver Buckles, both reading and listening the the audio form and have indulged in enjoying it multiple times. So I know I’m going to love this one too. All the comments and the cute excerpt and knowing your writing tells me so. I too love reading about dogs in stories; goofy, loyal, rascally or well-behaved. Best best luck on this book’s launch, Grace.
Meredith, it’s not just dogs you need to keep from those geckos. I can’t count how many Anoles, salamanders, and other misc. lizards we rescued from the cats over the years, :0 Keep those Fezzik pictures coming.
Wonderful to hear from you Michelle! Thank you so-so much! Readers like you make me feel very lucky indeed!
Don’t include me in the giveaway as I received an ARC from the publisher. OMG! I love the cover art… front and back. Perfect… perfect. Notice that bandit is not behaving himself and staying with the group. Nope, he is with Elizabeth and Darcy on the back cover. LOL! What a cool picture.
I loved the story… front to back. I loved the banter between Darcy and Elizabeth. This was so well done. It was most excellent. Perfection. It is in my top 10… heck, it is my top 5 and I will certainly look at that list again as it may slide up to number 1 for my 2021 reading list. Yep, this was most excellent. Thanks for sharing, Meredith. Blessing to you and to our author Grace Gibson. Everyone stay safe and healthy.
Wow JW Garrett! Such an honor to be anywhere on your favorites list! As someone once said, “…your good opinion is worth the earning…” or something like that… wink!
Bandit is quite the character and I can’t wait to meet him in Old Boots! I love the humorous excerpts. This book is definitely going to my TBR list.
Thanks for the funny excerpts. Looking forward to reading this humorous story
I can’t wait to read it, it sounds delightful!