Happy Monday, friends! I’m excited a new author to Austenesque Reviews today! During the pandemic, Michelle started writing a Northanger Abbey sequel titled Gentlemen of Gloucestershire.  And now she is sharing it with the world (for free!) on her blog! 💻

Yes!!! Thank you, Michelle, these types of Austenesque novels are in short supply! 🙌🏼

Michelle is here to share a little about herself, her writing journey, and an enticing excerpt from her Northanger Abbey sequel, Gentlemen of Gloucestershire. We hope you enjoy! 📖

~ From the Author ~

It’s amazing to me that I’m introducing my novel on another blog: for years, I’ve reviewed and occasionally promoted books, but for so long it felt like I would never have one of my own to share. But let me back up, and introduce myself properly.

My love of fiction began in childhood, creating little books that I wrote, colored, and stapled together, or even typed on my mother’s early ’90’s laptop. English was often my favorite (and best) subject in school. Yet it wasn’t until the Internet that I discovered the world of collaborative writing and fandom: Nancy Drew fic contests, email fan chains, written role-playing forums, and yes, eventually, FanFiction.net. There are so many authors I learned from, both reading their works and even participating in group projects, too many to count. Because I have a healthy respect for copyright, most of the fan works I’ve posted publicly relate Jane Austen.

For just as long I’ve loved dramatic art and playacting, leading me to major in theatre and pursue a career in live entertainment. That’s a whole ‘nother story (not to be coy), but suffice to say that pursuing those dreams required a huge investment of my time, energy, and resources. For a season I posted shorts and poems on my blog, attempting to balance all my artistic leanings, but eventually my work took over.

Then, of course, a pandemic shut down the industry.

Despite the early memes about masterpieces written during plagues, I didn’t set out to do anything like that when I began writing during furlough. I’d tried NaNoWriMo, challenges, outlines, prompts, everything you could think of, but had never been able to complete anything longer than a series of vignettes. So I decided I would set no deadlines or word counts, and most importantly, I wouldn’t edit anything until I was finished. That last part has always been my Kryptonite. I crave for my writing to be perfect. Still, the world had ended (or was ending?) At the very least, it would help me focus on something beyond my precarious profession.

I was pleasantly surprised when the words came beyond the first chapter. Then I hit five chapters, then ten, then more. It was a struggle at times: the desire to go back and revise, or research, or even design artwork was strong. Yet as the pages kept coming, I got more and more excited that finally, I might actually finish a full draft.

I never set out to write 20 chapters, let alone 31. I didn’t realize there was so much I wanted to wrestled with and explore in the world of Northanger Abbey. In fact, I didn’t even recognize the irony of writing a story about a man plagued by an infection, coughs, and difficulty breathing while the world stopped cold from something similar until my later editing. Instead, I let the characters and the plot guide me, doggedly writing through highs and lows, and found that 2020 held one more surprise I wasn’t expecting: a full-length novel by Michelle R. Wood.

Gentlemen of Gloucestershire is in many ways a much humbler book than I ever dreamed I would publish: the concept is far less dense than many of my more original ideas, the setting quaint, the cast small, and action limited. Even in the niche world of JAFF, Northanger Abbey occupies a little obscure corner. Yet it will always have a special place in my heart now, because it’s the book that proved I could not only start but actually stick the landing on a story. I am beyond grateful to the many readers who have shared their kind reactions, and especially to Meredith for hosting me today. I hope, if you decide to join the adventure, that it brings you as much joy as myself.

~ Book Description ~

Mrs. Catherine Tilney née Morland began her marriage to the Reverend Henry Tilney with every expectation of happiness. When a crisis emerges and her new family is put in danger, she must become the heroine she has been in training for all her life.

Gentlemen of Gloucestershire is a sequel to Northanger Abbey featuring dramatic scenarios, comic situations, witty banter, and hopefully wisdom gained through the evolving relationship of a young couple with plenty to learn about themselves and each other.

As a bonus, here’s a sneak peek of Chapter 14, set to drop this Wednesday on my blog. Catherine has been reading to her sick husband to cheer him up. Here, they take turns reading the parts from Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, with unexpected results.

~ Excerpt ~

Catherine refused to let Henry exert himself with so many different characters, saying he must be content with one, “and it may not be the Duke Orsino or Malvolio or Sir Toby,” and at his saucy look, she quickly added to her list of prohibitions Viola and Olivia as well. Therefore he had to content himself with Sebastian, a mere brother to the heroine and second rate lover, appearing late in the story and with few scenes or speeches to distinguish himself. Fortunately, he realized as the play progressed, there was plenty of room for embellishment. So it was that when rescued from the clutches of the sea, he rolled his eyes with exaggerated languor and attempted to make waves on his blanket with a wriggle of his toes.

Despite her stern preamble Catherine could not help laughing, encouraging Henry to race ahead in his mind to plan further amusement. When offered money by his rescuer, he threaded his fingers through hers, tickling them, as he promised to be her “purse-bearer,” and managed a trumpeting call on agreeing to meet again at “the Elephant.” It was difficult for Olivia to appear worried on her next entrance when she was so merrily distracted and murmuring “You must stop Henry” between lines.

The duel was a strain upon his genius but he had a lengthy interval to consider his course of attack, so that by the time they reached the fourth act Henry had gradually worked their joined hands to his lips. “Why, there’s for thee, and there, and there,” and the lady’s heart would need be stone not to enjoy the felicitous means by which this Sebastian issued his challenge on each tender “there.” Catherine was so entranced she forgot the fight altogether and turned the page early, denying Henry the opportunity to declare her a dream.

His disappointment did not last long, for he was able to indulge in a full soliloquy some scenes later. He began in mockery, bringing her to smiles again with raised brows and loud sniffs on the state of his sanity. But he did not let up his grip on her hand as she delivered Olivia’s declaration of love, and gesturing for her to bring the book closer, got her exactly next to him as he declared he would “go with you; and, having sworn truth, ever will be true,” gazing at her with as much ardour as a man on his sickbed could do.

Catherine was well and truly snared, and when she glanced at the next lines Henry managed to bring her head to rest beside his on the pillow, so she murmured nearly into his ear, “Then lead the way, good father; and heavens so shine, That they may fairly note this act of mine!”

She made to get up and turn the page, but Henry would not release his hold. “You have forgot a bit,” he said, and when she began to read the last piece over, interrupted with: “It is a direction, not a word. For Sebastian and Olivia have just gone in to be married.”

“Yet it only says Exeunt, I am sure I did not miss anything else.”

“Ah, but my dearest Catherine, we must interpret what the text implies, for what new husband and wife would say their vows without also exchanging tokens of their affection?”

“They do not mention anything about rings; is that not in a different play?”

It was so blessedly normal for her to misunderstand him, to wish for him to explain, that Henry nearly prolonged her confusion out of sheer pleasure. But mindful that no joke should live beyond its time, he instead revealed his intentions. “Sebastian has no other token of his love but himself. Will Olivia deny him that which he so desires to give, when he has promised to be ruled by her?”

A mere look of encouragement was all Henry needed to bend forward, illustrating by deed rather than further argument what he meant, and neither Olivia nor Catherine could complain their husband was half-hearted in his adoration. It must be admitted the play suffered a little in its resolution, as Catherine struggled to regain any sense of the story. She dropped nearly the rest of the act in favour of hearing Sebastian once again speak his vows of betrothal, and somehow it was Henry who delivered Duke Orsino’s final speech to a rapt Viola, and offer more proofs that music was not the only source of love.

Ooh! Henry is just so fun! I love his playful antics, but I also love his ardent devotion! 😍 Seeing Henry and Catherine enjoying married life together brings me such delight! 😄

This was a delightful scene, Michelle. Thank you so much for sharing! I am so happy that you wrote a sequel for Northanger Abbey! I wish you all the best with this novel! 💕

Interested in reading Gentlemen of Gloucestershire online?

Check it out on Michelle’s blog!

~~~

What are your thoughts, friends?