Simmering

Hello,

Long time no see...

After my forty posts of forty books, I've been wondering what to talk about. Ultimately, I've been simmering not only in this matter, but in many levels.

We have a plaster copy of Rodin's Thinker in my Architecture school. Big guy, lots to ponder...

Work has been keeping me from Mr. Darcy and my writings. My day job is Architecture as you may have read here on the blog and after a very cavernous 2013, the market is really alive now. I can't afford to seat back and watch things unfold. I have to work. The need for the vile money is real and urgent, I have to make a living...

The problem is that with my Architectural self busy, my Writer wannabe side has to step back and wait. I do miss Darcy and Lizzy though. Now I have many Dizzy projects on the move but on hold. 

45 days in Europe - Portuguese version is 1/3 done, and my beta thinks it's nice enough. With the postponing of our National Jane Austen Society Meeting, my Portuguese versions are postponed as well. I politely listen to Lizzy's nagging on the back of my head telling me what she would say and how she would react to stuff that happens in Milan and London... Only I can't find time to dedicate myself to her.

The Prince is THE man in my head these days. Actually, that Lizzy is making sure I don't forget about them. She is very assured of herself, unlike Friendship of a special kind Lizzy. She has strong ideas and isn't afraid of fighting for what she wants. But much more than that trait of her personality, 

this new book will be about realizing 

when life gives you a second chance. 

How do you identify it is good enough to take the leap?

Especially when the (incredibly sexy and complex) 

main guy's good opinion once lost, is lost forever?

Mr. Darcy is not a second chances guy, at least at first. That's one of the things Lizzy helps him to work out - even without meaning to. I've been planning to talk about Pride and Prejudice's standards, maybe it'll be another post.

I know many people who stopped their unfulfilling lives and started it out afresh. Although it sounds awfully romantic and inspiring, it takes a lot of work and a ton of... faith?

'Leap of faith' would begin to describe the theme of this new book, but it's sketched in my head and not in paper yet. It's... simmering. Although I have four chapters done, I'm considering to re-write most of it. I'm second guessing actions and choices, their past story but incredibly enough, not their future.

Love scenes abound, they are an adult couple sure of what they can reach and the consequences of their actions. How they'll deal with them is the million dollar question...

Check this out:

"...When he sat beside her, she half turned his way to hold both his hands. ‘Darcy, I can’t deny you rock my world. Last time we met…’ Elizabeth lost her words.

‘It was fucking hot.’ He said in an intense low tone that made her tremble.

‘Yes…’

‘We are here now.’ He said.‘I’ve been counting the days, Lizzy.’ 

She shook her head. ‘We can’t.’ 

‘That’s why you are here inside my hotel suite?’ He gave her a patronizing half smile.

‘I’m here because you make me feel weak.’ She released his hands. ‘And because I think I owe you more than a ‘sorry pal, no more burying your bone in my yard’. The second the words left her mouth she blushed and hid her eyes in her hands. ‘That’s not what I wanted to say.’ She chuckled at herself and heard him chuckle in return.

‘Lizzy, relax.’ He said holding her wrists to pull her hands from her eyes. ‘It’s just us.’

When a still smiling Elizabeth opened her eyes, she was surprised to find Darcy's face close to hers and the kiss was inevitable.

They had been holding back for hours, really.

It was such a good kiss, a kiss that lifted the spirit to where it belonged. She had been daydreaming about his kisses for a while, but not since the first time they were together. After that, she had successfully convinced herself this was wrong and should never happen again. But oh, this man… older and mature, so sexy and such a good kisser.

He held her neck and sweet-kissed her for a few minutes. Darcy had been anticipating this encounter with her for so long that he feared an intoxication if he took her in too fast.

She ran her small hands inside his button-down rolled sleeves to feel some of his skin giving him goosebumps. Both clad in jeans and button-downs, very little skin was available even if Elizabeth kept the first buttons undone to show the pretty maxi-necklace and some of her incredible cleavage."

Things heat up between them pretty easily, but I need time to simmer... 

Ponder, think, change stuff. 

Ultimately, I have to find time.

Meanwhile...

Let me simmer.

Austenland

Hey,
Hot in here, but there's no news...
While it's freezing up there in lovely New York, it's toasty down here.

Not easy to find stamina do work, much less leave the AC in the morning. yesterday it was amazingly 32°C at 10PM!!!

To cool us down, let's take a hike to...

Austenland

Boyfriend #1

Justin Kimble ,  AGE TWELVE

page 40

"Aunt Saffronia took the  basket. “Lovely!  I will  give them the chef and we shall see  what  splendid  treat  he  can  make  out  of  them.  You  must  stay  for  dinner,  Amelia.  I insist.” 

“Thank you, I will.” 

Jane and Miss Charming exchanged frowns. 

The  four  ladies  sat  and  chatted,  or  mostly  Miss  Heartwright  and  Aunt  Saffronia chatted  while  Jane  and  her  unhappy  ally  listened,  glumly  plucking  at  their  embroidery. 

But among her other qualities, Miss Heartwright was also generous in her attentions. 

“Miss Erstwhile, do you enjoy novels?” 

“I do, yes. "

“I know they are naughty things, but I devour novels.  The Castle of Otronto had me in chills.” 

“Yes, how can I forget that giant helmet?” Jane had done her homework on gothic romances  a  few  years  ago,  thank  goodness,  in  an  attempt  to  appreciate   Northanger  Abbey.  “But  Mrs.  Radcliffe’s  writings  are  my  favorite,  particularly   The  Mysteries  of  Udolpho.” 

Miss  Heartwright  clapped  her  hands  with  delight.  “Wonderful!  We’ll  have  so much to talk about. I hope you will call on the cottage often during your stay.” 

Jane  was  spared  an  answer  when  the  maid  announced  that  the  gentlemen  had returned from the fields. 

“Show them in, thank you,” Aunt Saffronia said.

The gentlemen entered, looking smart in their sporting attire, rough and handsome in  grays  and  browns,  redolent  of  grass  and animals.  Jane  stood  before  them,  thinking about  whether  an  1816  woman  would  arise  for  men,  and  then  fumbled  her embroidery, sending it to the ground. Colonel Andrews bent to pick it up. On his breath she caught a whiff of tobacco, which only slightly damaged the pleasing effect of his charming smile up close."

---

Ah... gentlemen and cigars...

March, 11th - Update 
Just watched the movie! It's better! It's fun!

)
Ha! Funny, huh?

Disclaimer: 40 pages 40 is my way to come to terms with celebrate my 40th birthday. By promoting 40 awesome books I like in no way I intend to dupe the original authors.
If you, as me, like what you read, buy them!

All 40 books can be found on the right side bar. ►

All images found on Google. Kudos to the original poster.

Colours and Years

hello, Summer is here!
Exactly now, the smouldering hot season starts in Rio de Janeiro.
As if on cue, weather started to get warmer...

Sumer Google doodle... cute! But we won't feel lucky, we'll feel HOT here in Rio.

Oh well, at least we'll have beach, coconut water and cold beer...

For my birthday, a friend sent me a lovely book about life and memories, a nice reflection on choices made. So well written, so pleasant to read... And since it's mere 72 hours since my apocalipse, my gift will be today's 40th page.

Colours and Years

Margit Kaffka

Chapter V.

page 40

"For this very reason it was a refined and noble art to deal daintily with it, in the feverish turns of the dance, floating, twirling or tiptoeing on the spot, never forgetting ourselves totally, or what we owned to external appearances and to our superior status.

We joined hands and floated in a waltz around the big dining-room, swaying gently and smoothly with our supple waists. Hanika hummed a tune for us in her stifled, colorless little wisp of a voice and hurried to push the chairs out of our way. ‘They’re the most beautiful of all! There’s none like them in the world!’ she sighed feverishly and exultantly. Grandma opened the door on us; she stood there nodding and observant.

‘Five hundred forints for he two of them… for that they should be pretty, too!’ she said to herself. ‘But they really are magnificent, so they are’, she added more enthusiastically. ‘They fit both of you like a glove!’

She swiftly turned around and went back into her big room overlooking the courtyard. In recent days, she had not had much time for us. She sat in the alcove of the window where the floor was raised, as if on a throne, and held audience for her own clients – those who obtained small sums of money from her at a good rate interest, applicants for leases or agents for cheap plots of land, solicitors, tradesmen and merchants. The most frequent caller was Lipi, our nimble and clever Jew who was good for anything; he was her client and her business confidant. Now all her energy was devoted to her life’s great desire: the elevation of the family through the one and only male heir.

István, indeed, was thirty years old and deputy public notary; next door Ágnes, grandma’s favorite, smoothly groomed and in white muslin dress, grew imperceptibly into a gentle church-mouse of a girl; she was two years older than I was and so very different. ‘As for this lot here, just let them get on with things quickly and as best they can!’ – this thought was obvious in the whole way grandma treated us. She felt that our style and everything employed to achieve it were quite different, and she did not pester my mother over the espense of the dresses. She knew they were our armour, with which we had to be victorious and conquer an all-important battle of life.

When Lipi left grandmother, he would look in on me cheerfully as I sat in the covered terrace. ‘How grown-up you are, Miss Magda! You’ve grown beautiful too! There’s a new factory in Kolozsvár that makes the most splendid walnut furniture. I’ll get hold of some for the price they sell it to me!’"

---

See you soon...

partiu praia!

Disclaimer: 40 pages 40 is my way to come to terms with celebrate my upcoming 40th birthday. By promoting 40 awesome books I like in no way I intend to dupe the original authors. If you, as me, like what you read, buy them!

All 40 books can be found on the right side bar. ►

All images found on Google. Kudos to the original poster.

Friendship of a special kind

aaaand... it's here: DOOM'S DAY!

Oh well, it's weird to BE old and FEEL the same. I'm still not one day older than 19. I swear!

But, as Pollyanna taugh us back when, there's always something nice. This year were the significantly bigger gifts to celebrate my 4.0 version.

Can you believe this? My Mr. Darcy gave me a renewed ring just like Jane Austen's! I looooved it! Such a big gift, so much meaning!

It couldn't be different, today's 40th page HAD to be my first JAFF, my adventure that started this blog and this new side of my life 4 years ago: 

Friendship of a special kind

Chapter 4

page 40

"It was twenty five minutes later when she answered:

“No need 4 ur condescension, sir. Already home.”

By then, Darcy was settled at the square cafe waiting for her to give directions to her parents’ home to pick her up. When he got the message he went furious and called her back on impulse.

Lizzy snorted at his handsome and sexy face that flashed on her phone’s screen. ‘Huh! Insufferable!’ But took the call anyway.
“Hello?” Lizzy said petulantly.

“Condescending? Why? You needed to transport a sick man over a two hundred miles’ drive and I rent a comfortable car.” Darcy answered, annoyed. He was making an effort to be helpful and attentive to her, and it seemed Lizzy wasn’t pleased with it.

“Please! You didn’t even offer, you ordered. His doctor arranged for an ambulance. And hello back!” Lizzy spat.

“Hello.” Darcy said, self-conscious. “And I did offer. Twice, yesterday.” He added bitterly.

She was silent for a second and he was sure she remembered the texting.

“Yeah, you did.” Lizzy said softly, feeling foolish for the snapping.

“When Mrs. Hill told me your friend’s father needed to be transferred to Boston I thought I could help.” Darcy patiently explained and added smugly. “And no need to apologize, Darling.”

“I’m sorry. I jump to conclusions sometimes...” Lizzy said bashful.

“And get defensive.” Darcy wouldn’t say but thought to himself: “You’re used to defend yourself alone, aren’t you, Darling?”

“That’s me. Won’t apologize for that.” Lizzy was actually defensive, and remembered the mystery of how Darcy had her number. “Maybe you should.” She spat.

“Excuse me, what?” Darcy asked, confused.

“I don’t remember giving you my phone number.” Lizzy said sternly and he was silent. “And Dennie swears she didn’t either. Not to mention the pic.” She added.

Darcy didn’t say anything. He was very confused. “Is this part of her flirt? Didn’t she leave her phone for me to look into?”

“Look, Will, I’m tired.” She said flatly. “We’ve been through very stressful hours since yesterday. And I’m a bit busy with all the things I have to organize before heading back to the hospital. Charlo needs me, his dad is back at the ICU.”

Lizzy was really tired and her patience was running thin. She wasn’t sure why this guy was calling her and frankly, she wasn’t even interested in finding out.

Darcy was totally baffled. He didn’t have a clue of what was going on and why Lizzy was giving him the cold shoulder. He was losing control and had to step up, quickly. “How is he?” He asked, changing subjects and willing his mind to work.

“Char’s dad?” Lizzy sighed. She should have said goodbye and hung up. “Fine I guess, he’ll only need one stents. Doctor says he was lucky to head straight to the hospital when he felt a small pain. Char’s there now with him and I came home to store the Camaro and rest a bit before going over. I doubt Char’s going to let me take his place so he can take a shower but...”Lizzy paused. “Why are you telling this handsome stranger all this?” Lizzy asked herself.

“You drove that piece of junk?” Darcy got sidetracked by Charlo’s Camaro, a car so old and loud that they could hear it entering the long Netherfield lane from miles away.

“Hey! Don’t say that!” She had to giggle, it was a piece of shit. “Char can kill you for it!”

“So don’t tell him!” Darcy relaxed a little.

“Another little secret, you’re suggesting?” She asked flirtatiously, unable to resist, in spite of her reluctance to talk to him.

Darcy loved it.

“No... According to you, the one we shared is not little at all!” He flirted back.

She laughed and he chuckled. This was the Lizzy he knew."

---

Now I'm pampering to NOT look 40 to my friends, we're going sushying tonight.

Will you join us?

kiss

Google does this every year and I love it! So cute!

Disclaimer: 40 pages 40 is my way to come to terms with celebrate my upcoming 40th birthday. By promoting 40 awesome books I like in no way I intend to dupe the original authors. If you, as me, like what you read, buy them!

All 40 books can be found on the right side bar. ►

All images found on Google. Kudos to the original poster.