Thinking about the Future

So, next year about this time, Slurry Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rockstar! will be published by Sourcebooks press. It's very exciting for me, but it also means a whole lot of changes and a brand new learning curve. Did I mention how I hate learning curves? Also, this one is done in public- ohhh, even better!

I'm attempting to remain calm and to give myself lots of permission to learn and make mistakes, but there are moments. If all goes well, I will publish L&PGTW next. It will probably be re-titled 'Fitzwilliam Darcy, Knight!' or some such thing, but it's all good.

So what comes after that? I need to finish some new stories. And I'm not quite sure how that's going to work. There is the simple question of 'what?' I'd love to do an updating of Northanger Abby, which is so funny I lol when reading it, but my brain's also been spending some time with Anne Elliot, from Persuasion, and she'd like her story told too. She's very loud today, and I'm really drawn to the story of a woman ho gave up on love, who's now in her 30's and is now saying "I'm too old, there's no romance for me" and finding up just how wrong she could be.

Or, there is always Darcy and Elizabeth, who are certainly the most popular Austen pair, and who I have a way with, if you know what I mean. I could ruffle some feathers with 'Pride and Prejudice' with guest stars Charles Bingley and James (not Jane) Bennet. Or I could combine my other love, and set the story in 16th Century Venice. Or I could just go totally off the deep end, and write my SuperHero version of P & P.

But the other question on writing is 'How?' When I wrote Slurry and L&PGTW, I had the wonderful and very insulated community of Hyacinth Gardens to encourage and structure me. I had posting deadlines, that were self-imposed, but that served me very well, and I had wonderful Betas, who kept me from going astray. (and made sure my work was actually readable) Sadly that's all gone, and I'm not sure how well I can write without that community around me.

I'm trying not to worry that too much, having faith that when I need it, the support will appear. I've found that in the past, sweating the process doesn't help me much, and I do much better listening to my intuition, at least when it comes to writing stories.

So, what are your thoughts, dear readers. Is there a community I've missed that I'd be welcome at? (Because anything I write will be adult in nature, and not everyone enjoys that) Do you have any suggestions on the topic I should write? Am I babbling nonsense?

Right now, I want to say thank you for all your support. It's really important to me.

HL

Welcome!

Welcome to Austen Nights. Everything is new here. I'm Heather Lynn and I'm delighted to announce the publication of my book Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rockstar (previously known as Slurry) in the Fall of 2011 from Sourcebooks. The book will be available in trade paperback and electronic formats. I don't have an exact publication date, but when I get one, you'll be the first to know.

I'm hoping to follow Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rockstar, with an updated version of Longborne & Pemberly go to War. And then, I have some new works brewing in the back of my head.