I’m a slow writer, as my long-time readers know. I usually manage about a book a year, and I look with amazement and envy on authors who can put one out every few months. I don’t see that ever changing, especially when I’m writing long, complex books like the Fitzwilliam Darcy, Mage series. That said, I do have a new release coming out next month!

It’s not a novel, though. It’s a short novella of 20,000 words, a bit of happy fluff I scribbled last spring when I was under a lot of stress and couldn’t manage to focus on the multiple plot lines of The Guardians of Pemberley. Before this little tale decided to grow up to be a novella, it was supposed to be a short story for the Christmas Celebrations anthology. What can I say – my Muse doesn’t do really short stories!

It’s an old-fashioned Pride & Prejudice variation of the sort many of us wrote years ago. There’s nothing dramatic in it. If you want a Bad Jane or kidnappings or Elizabeth is not a Bennet, this won’t be your cup of tea. No angst, no dragons, no nothing. It’s Darcy, Elizabeth, and mistletoe, very much in Jane Austen’s world. Darcy is struggling with his pride, and Elizabeth is learning to rethink her first impressions. But they get there a little faster than in P&P. In short, it’s an undemanding bit of fluff to cheer your holiday season. 🙂

I probably won’t ever write something like this again, since I really do prefer writing stories with more heft to them. My main goal right now is to finish Triumph at Pemberley, the conclusion to the Fitzwilliam Darcy, Mage series. It’s in pretty good shape. Over half of it is written and there’s a pretty solid outline for the rest. I’m excited for where it’s going, and I can’t wait for you to see it!

In the meantime, Under the Netherfield Mistletoe is coming out November 17, and it’s available for pre-order now. There will be a slim paperback version, and the amazing Harry Frost will narrate the audiobook, probably available in March 2026.