Welcome to the Meryton Press Blog. Today we have a new to Meryton Press author and a new book to spotlight. The author, K.C. Cowan, has several previous books to her credit, but The Bennets: Providence & Perception, is her first book with us. Before we get to the blurb and covers, let me introduce you to K.C.
Author Bio
KC Cowan spent her professional life working in the media as a news reporter in Portland, Oregon for KGW-TV, KPAM-AM and KXL-AM radio, and as original host and story producer for a weekly arts program on Oregon Public Television. She is co-author of the fantasy series: Journey to Wizards’ Keep, The Hunt for Winter, and Everfire. The Hunt for Winter and Everfire were both awarded First Place OZMA citations from Chanticleer International Book Awards for fantasy writing.
KC is also the author of two other books: “The Riches of a City” – the story of Portland, Oregon, and “They Ain’t Called Saints for Nothing!” in collaboration with artist Chris Haberman, a tongue-in-cheek look at saints. She is married and lives in Tucson, Arizona.
The back cover copy is next and will give us some insight into this book about the Bennets.
Blurb
Either ignored or ridiculed by her family, Mary Bennet desires only happiness—
Poor Miss Bennet—with three sisters married, she will no doubt be left “on the shelf” unless she takes steps to secure her own happiness. So, with the arrival of Mr. Yarby, a handsome new rector for Longbourn chapel, Mary decides to use her Biblical knowledge to win his heart.
Meanwhile, her recently widowed father finds himself falling for the older sister of his new reverend. But Mr. Bennet is officially in mourning for his late wife—what a scandalous situation! Unfortunately, Longbourn’s heir, Mr. Collins, has the antennae for a scandal and makes blackmail threats.
Will an overheard conversation between the Yarby siblings break Mary’s heart? Or will it impel her to a desperate act that threatens everyone’s hopes for lasting love?
Oh my! After reading the blurb, I have more questions than insight. What happened to Mrs. Bennet? What is the overheard conversation? What desperate act is Mary considering? Mr. Bennet and a new love interest? That could prove interesting, indeed!
It seems like Mary has a good plan to spend time with Mr. Yarby. I’ll be curious to see how this turns out. Then there is Mr. Collins, always at the ready to be a “thorn-in-the-side.” With blackmail threats, he may be much more than a nuisance. Hmm… how will this play out? I guess reading it is the best way to answer all these questions! 🙂
We’ve met K. C. and we’ve read the back cover copy. Now it’s time to let K.C. tell us why she chose to write about Mary.
From the Author
Why Choose Mary?
I have been a long-time fan of Austen pastiche and read many of the sequels and variations. When I started thinking about writing my own sequel to Pride and Prejudice I was looking for images of regency women to help inspire me. I came across one of a young lady, walking with her back to the viewer. I immediately thought: “That’s Mary!” I decided I would write about her.
But it occurred to me that not only is Mary a very neglected character in Austen’s original novel, but so is her father, Mr. Bennet. He spends the majority of the book, it seems, hiding away in his study. And although he loves his daughters—well, he mostly thinks them all silly girls, with the exception of his favorite, Lizzy—he interacts with them very little.
Soon, I began to think of a book that would focus on Mr. Bennet and Mary. I knew I wanted a romance for Mary, but what storyline could I do for Mr. Bennet? Have him suddenly come into a fortune from a previously unknown relative? Go into counseling to learn to appreciate his wife more? Nope. Recall that famous line in the book after Mrs. Bennet is bemoaning the fact that they’ll lose their house once Mr. Bennet dies? He (somewhat cruelly) says there is the possibility he might outlive her! In a flash I knew I had but one choice: I had to kill off Mrs. Bennet! And nearly at once I knew just how it would happen. The path now cleared for Mr. Bennet and Mary, I began to plot my new romances.
I had always had a rector in mind for Mary, but not a stuffy one. I pictured a more genial, modest man—quite frankly, Charles Bingley’s warm personality came to mind as a good model. He must be handsome, of course, and kind and considerate. I named him Robert Yarby. And how would Mary try to win his heart? With her love of the Bible, naturally! I decided she would try to locate “difficult” passages in the Bible that required Mr. Yarby’s explanation in cozy private meetings. Mary’s lack of confidence in her beauty and desirability, however, would add to her obstacles. A lifetime of being the “invisible” daughter certainly had taken its toll. Still, I knew a HEA ending was in the cards for dear Mary.
As for Mr. Bennet—who should his romance be? I thought briefly (ONLY briefly, I assure you) about having another P&P character, Maria Lucas, begin to visit Mr. Bennet to condole with him on the death of his wife and then have an unexpected romance bloom. However, the age difference was positively unsupportable and so that idea was thrown out. Instead, I opted to create another character outside the original story’s cast. I gave Robert Yarby an older sister who would be a widow and the polar opposite of the late Mrs. Bennet. Where Mrs. Bennet’s character was emotional and loud and at times coarse, Mrs. Amelia Withers would be modest in voice and temperament, and have perfect manners. Sparks fly nearly at once between Amelia and Mr. Bennet, which gave me a conflict to bring to a crisis for the plot: for them to have a public romance while Mr. Bennet is still in official mourning would be quite scandalous! This gave me the joy of bringing their secret romance to a gentle boil over many chapters. I much prefer longing glances and sighs than an aggressive romance storyline, don’t you?
At the same time, I wanted the reader to think that perhaps she has an ulterior motive in pursuing Mr. Bennet. Was Amelia’s friendship with Mary sincere? I put in a few lines here and there that, upon initial reading, could be thought innocent, but later might be seen as devious. See if you can find them!
And then, in order for our two couples to have a rocky road to love, I brought in Mr. Collins to discover Mr. Bennet’s new romance and use it against Mr. Yarby for his own advantage. This desperation required a motive and I truly enjoyed what I came up with. Is it wrong of me, dear reader, to make such an odious character suffer a bit? I think not.
But although Mary doubts she can win over Mr. Yarby, I took great pleasure in moving her through the story to help her overcome her insecurities and end up in a happier situation than even she likely thought possible. I guess I’ve always had a soft-spot for the underdog.
No, I doubt many, if any, would think it is wrong of you to make Mr. Collins suffer a bit. Maybe it will make a better man of him. You think? No, probably not!
I like reading that Mary will end up in a happier situation. Having her interest a handsome man that is also a good man doesn’t hurt either!
It’s time to unveil the cover of The Bennets: Providence & Perception. Tell us what you think in the comments below.
Isn’t the drawing on the front cover neat? K. C.’s good friend, Anne Timmons, drew the image for her. Anne is a talented artist. I like the softness of all the colors and having two couples featured.
It’s full wrapper time. What do you think the back picture is showing? Go back to the blurb for a hint! 🙂
We’ve had a chance to look at the covers and get some ideas about what might be in store for the characters. Maybe the excerpt that K. C. has picked out for us will shed even more light on the subject. Let’s find out!
Excerpt
Mary and Mrs. Withers walked in silence for a time. Mary did not wish to be rude, but her mind was still on the handsome rector she had just met—wavy, dark-brown hair with dark eyes to match. And when he smiled, Mary was sure she had seen two dimples. She could only hope he would get the job. Oh, to gaze upon such a face in the pulpit every week! But she broke away from her daydreaming and realized she must make some effort at conversation with her walking companion.
“How long has your brother been with the church, Mrs. Withers?” she asked tentatively. Was it proper to ask such a thing? She did not wish to appear rude or overly inquisitive. But Mary saw no sign that her guest noticed her nervousness as they continued along the garden path.
“He has been the curate at a parish in Dorset for less than two years, Miss Bennet, which is why we were quite frankly surprised to receive your father’s letter inviting him to a personal interview. We assumed Mr. Bennet would seek out someone with far more experience.”
Mary pondered this a moment before replying earnestly. “But…every rector must start somewhere, must he not? A minister is not born fully formed as it were. Every experienced rector was once a novice curate.”
Mrs. Withers let out a delighted laugh. “Indeed, you are correct! It would be lovely if your father also feels that way and is inclined to give him the living. But if not, we shall return to Dorset and continue as we were. Robert’s time for his own parish will come, I am certain. Although, if we had better connections, it would likely be settled sooner.”
Mary nodded sagely. “I have heard it said that the surest way to acquire a benefice is to be related to the bestower. It does not seem fair that connections should play such an important part in receiving a living. Talent, compassion for the poor, and love of God should be paramount in my view.” Mary glanced at her companion, hoping she was not speaking out of turn. “Not that I have much knowledge in these matters, of course,” she added.
Her companion laughed lightly. “I see we have the same frame of mind when it comes to acquiring a parish. But as I said, I believe Robert’s time will come.”
The two continued to walk in silence a while. Mary again tried to think of some way to continue their conversation.
“Do you…have…” Mary fumbled to find the words. “Forgive me, I do not wish to pry. You are married?”
“Widowed. My husband passed after a long illness, and sadly, there was little left for me to live on. His business affairs had utterly collapsed. So, a year or so ago, I came to live with my brother and manage the household.”
“How sad.”
“I do not tell you this to elicit your sympathy. My brother and I have always been close, and we get along well. I am content to live with him and help him in his work.”
“Have you any children?”
“Sadly, no. My husband and I were married for eight years before he died, and we were never blessed with a child. Now, of course, at thirty-three, it seems unlikely I shall ever become a mother. But I do adore children and very much enjoy the little ones in our parish. And perhaps one day Robert will marry and make me an aunt. So that must suffice.”
“God’s will is sometimes difficult to comprehend,” Mary said seriously. “If you will pardon me for being so forward—you seem like someone who would make a wonderful mother, yet God chooses to let you remain childless. Why should that be? I often struggle with His decisions.” She gave a small gasp, stopped short, and reached out to clutch Mrs. Withers’s sleeve. “Oh, but pray do not think me disrespectful of our Lord. His wisdom is far greater than I can hope to comprehend.”
Mrs. Withers gently patted Mary’s arm. “Not at all, Miss Bennet. It is clear you are a most thoughtful young woman. I must say it is rather a refreshing change from some of the flibbertigibbets I have seen in Dorset. I do believe their heads are filled with nothing but ribbons, dancing, and flirting with single men. Meeting you has given me another reason to hope Robert is given the position.”
Mary’s heart soared. Such kind words. Mrs. Withers clearly favored her. Could it be she might—at last—find a close friend? Could this gentlewoman be a kindred spirit? Mary had never had one before. And she had often felt at odds even within her own family—what with Kitty and Lydia always together, and Jane and Lizzy inseparable. Mary had always been on her own, taking refuge in her books and music. She felt lonely at times though she had learned to hide it.
“I should very much like you both to come here,” she said softly as the two continued their stroll through the park.
Don’t you just love that word, “flibbertigibbets”! Can you guess who immediately came to mind when reading that passage? It sounded eerily similar to two young ladies of an earlier time at Longbourn, wouldn’t you say?
Dear sweet Mary. Her heart has been gently touched and her mind is spinning! I’m happy you chose to give her a love interest and hopefully, a supportive friend too!
Thank you for sharing a little about yourself, your book, and an excerpt, K.C. Thank you, also, to the readers who stopped by to spend some time with us.
Giveaway
Would you like a chance to win one of two eBooks of The Bennets: Providence & Perception? Tell us what you like about the cover drawing, the excerpt, or just say “hi” to K.C. and welcome her to the community. Your comment will enter you in the giveaway that Meryton Press is hosting. The giveaway is international, and two winners will be chosen. The giveaway will end at midnight central time on the 19th of March.
Thank you for stopping by and being part of this special day for K.C. and Meryton Press.
If you want to go ahead and preorder the book, below is the Amazon Universal Link. The book will be released March 20th.
Buy Link
FYI – there will be a blog tour beginning March 20th. There are excellent excerpts and guest posts, so don’t miss a day! The links will be posted Monday.
Heather Dreith
This book sounds wonderful! With two romances to savor, an often disdained woman for a heroine and a comeuppance for an odious villain, I can’t wait to dig in!
Meryton Press
Hi Heather! We love hearing that you think the book sounds wonderful! Yay! There is much to enjoy in this one. Good luck in the giveaway!
KC Cowan
I’m so happy the premise excites you! I hope you enjoy it!
KC
Lynn Bischoff
I like Mary getting a romance, she always seems so overlooked. And Mr. Bennet! I love to have Mr. Collins get a comeuppance. This premise sound so good, I look forward to reading it.
Meryton Press
That’s great news, Lynn. I hope you get to read it soon. Thanks for stopping by and good luck!
Suzan Lauder
This new cover is quite cute, and the concept of love interests for both Mary and Mr. Bennet will appeal to many readers. The excerpt showed the loneliness of the middle child, and opened up the story to readers. I enjoyed the style of the writing. Best of luck on your release, K.C!
Meryton Press
You are right about the excerpt showing Mary’s loneliness. I like the idea of Mary and Mr. Bennet having love interests. It is not often explored. Thanks for dropping by and showing your support for K.C.
KC Cowan
Many thanks for your kind words!
KC
wendy m luther
Hello K.C. I wish you the best …..this cover is really different I like it and sounds like a great stoey
Meryton Press
Thanks for stopping by, Wendy. We hope you get to read the story soon.
KC Cowan
I LOVE the cover of my book so much! I decided to hire my friend, Anne Timmons, to do the cover, because I couldn’t imagine trying to find a vintage image that would feature TWO couples who could portray my characters: Mary and Mr. Yarby, and Mr. Bennet and Mrs. Withers. So I called on Anne, who is a sorority sister (Sigma Kappa at Oregon State) of mine, and a highly talented comic artist. She was able to perfectly match the image in my head for the cover I wanted!
I hope people check my book out — it’s been a labor of love!
Meryton Press
Having your “baby” wrapped in something you love is the icing on the cake! It’s even more special that your good friend did the drawing for you. Congratulations!
KC Cowan
True ! Plus, she didn’t mind the many “tweaks” I asked for!
Kelly Miller
Congratulations, Kc! Your artist friend is indeed talented and ensured you had a striking and unique cover! Best wishes for your new release!
Meryton Press
Thanks for stopping by, Kelly, and supporting K.C. You are spot on about her friend and the drawing.
KC Cowan
Thanks, Kelly! It’s great to be part of the Meryton family!
KC
Marie H
This book sounds absolutely delightful! A potential romance for poor neglected Mary and a new intriguing love interest for Mr. Bennet. I look forward to the release. The cover is lovely too. I love the pastels, and Mary’s depiction is perfect. I love that her eyeglasses were included and that she is pretty. Congratulations KC, and welcome! I wish you every success.
Meryton Press
Hi Marie. Doesn’t this book sound delightful and the cover drawing is too! I hope you get to read it soon. Thanks for coming over and welcoming K.C. Good luck in the giveaway.
KC Cowan
Thanks so much for your support! I’m so happy with how this book came out!
KC
Glynis
I do like this cover, both the front with Mary and Mr Bennet walking with Mr Yarby and his sister and the back which is obviously Mary overhearing the siblings! I do hope their is a happy ending for both Bennets, in fact I rather hope Mr Bennet manages to have a son and puts a spoke in Mr Collins’ wheel!
Good luck with this book.
Meryton Press
Oh, wouldn’t that be nice if Mr. Bennet had a son! It would certainly upset Mr. Collins! lol We’re glad you like the cover, Glynis, both front and back. Happy endings are deserved for both! Good luck and thanks for dropping by.
KC Cowan
I can guarantee a Happy Ending — well, for MOST of the characters! 😉
KC
ForeverHis
I like the colors chosen for the front cover and it looks like Mary is wearing spectacles–it is the way I picture her. A romance for Mary: Yeah! And, my applause gets even louder if Mr. Bennet marries, is happy and has a son. WooHoo!
Meryton Press
I believe many are of the same sentiment as you for Mr. Bennet! It’s great to have a romance for Mary too. She deserves one. Thanks for commenting. Good luck
KC Cowan
Thanks for your comments — I felt it was time Mr. Bennet had some real happiness!
KC
Eva Edmonds
I must confess that I usually don’t particularly like books with Mary as the main character, but I take exception to this book. I love the fact that Mr. Bennet will have a love interest as he does deserve it. He needs to remarry asap and have a male heir to thwart Mr. Collins. Thank you for the cover reveal, excerpt and giveaway.
Meryton Press
Hi Eva. We hope you will give this one a chance. It is a solid story, and the other sisters are in it. I think you will enjoy it. We can all hope for that male heir for Mr. Bennet! 🙂 Good luck in the giveaway.
J. W. Garrett
I adore that cover. The pastel covers are so soothing. Being a person over a certain age, I am pleased to see senior love addressed. After my mother passed away, my father remarried at age 83 and live very happily for nine years before he passed. So, senior love can happen at any age.
There are so many nods to other Austen books. The back cover made me think of Anne Elliot overhearing the conversation between Wentworth and Miss Mustgove. Austen wrote of another widow, Mrs. Smith, whose husband’s business also collapsed leaving her in distressed circumstances. As for Mrs. Withers not having any children, that could have been his fault. The time period usually blamed the woman for being barren. Such a stigma was horrid.
I wonder if Collins is honked that Bennet didn’t offer the living to him? I know a vicar could hold more than one living and have a curate fill in for him. That would have increased his income until Bennet died and he inherited. Now, if Bennet remarried and had an heir Collins, both Mr., and Mrs., would be out of Longbourn. Yeah, that probably won’t have either happy to congratulate Mr. Bennet on his marriage. Just saying.
Congratulations to KC Cowan on this new launch. Thanks to Meryton Press for the generous giveaway. Good luck to all in the drawing.
Meryton Press
What a great comment, Jeanne. You have some excellent thoughts about this, and I’m glad you shared them. I think the pastel colors are soothing too. It has a happy and calming feel to it. The back cover drawing is a C.E. Brock drawing from Persuasion so you are spot on! 🙂 It fit this story perfectly too. Won’t it be interesting to read how all of this plays out for Mr. Collins. We can gather from the blurb that he is not a happy camper! Good luck in the giveaway.
I’m glad your dad found love again. That is good to hear. I don’t believe anyone is ever too old to love.
KC Cowan
good comments! Of course, back then, even WOMEN pretty much believed they were to blame for not having children. I adore Mrs. Withers — she’s such a lovely person! Thanks for your support!
KC
Jan Hahn
Congratulations on your new novel, KC, and congratulations to Meryton Press for securing another good author! The cover is delightful. I personally love drawings of the Regency era. Your plans for Mary and her father sound promising. Here’s wishing you and them the very best.
Meryton Press
Thanks, Jan, for supporting K.C. We are happy you stopped by and shared your thoughts about the cover and the plans for Mary and Mr. Bennet!
KC Cowan
Thank you! I appreciate all the comments and support from loyal Meryton Press readers!
KC
Cynthia Mancini
Congratulations to KC on creating, and to Meryton Press for securing, this delightful novel! Readers will be satisfied by the outcomes for all of the characters and will be especially happy for the two couples featured on the lovely cover. Of course, there will be a few anxious moments along the way, but KC brings things round with skill and finesse!
KC Cowan
Thanks, Cynthia — I certainly hope readers will enjoy the twists and turns!
KC
Meryton Press
We’re happy you stopped the cover reveal for K. C.’s book. We are indeed delighted to have her on our team. The story is lovely and it is great to read that you think so too.
HeatherR
First of all well done for writing a book! Not many can say that. It sounds great and I hope it is a great success. I love the cover – it is nice to see an original drawing rather than a photo and Mary’s face is just as I imagine her.
KC Cowan
oh thank you – I will pass your compliments onto Anne – she’s such a talent!
KC
Meryton Press
We hope you get a chance to read the book soon. Good luck in the giveaway.
Maria Maderi
I love a good Mary Bennet story. She is the forgotten sister. She needs a good happily ever after. So excited to rea this story.
KC Cowan
Thank you, Maria — I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it! I agree — poor Mary needs to find happiness!
KC
Meryton Press
Since you love a good Mary story, you should love this one! She gets to shine. Hope you can read the story soon. Thanks for dropping by.
Colleen
I really like that cover. So nicely done!
Meryton Press
The artist did a great job with the drawing. Thanks for visiting and commenting!
KC Cowan
Anne will be thrilled with all the compliments she has been getting for our cover! We’ve known each other since our sorority days at college and I just love her work! Thanks for commenting!
KC
Vesper
I don’t think that Bennet really cared for his daughters. If he did he would not have been so lazy in providing for them. Maybe this new romance will result in a son.
Mary with a vicar? – my favourite pairing is with the Colonel.
Meryton Press
Hi Vesper. We’re glad you stopped by. I think you will like this vicar! Pairings of Mary and the Colonel are nice. I like those too. I think we are all hoping for a son for Mr. Bennet. Thanks for commenting and good luck!
KC Cowan
thanks for your input! There are always such great variations and sequels out there. Janeites are the best!
KC
Deborah Smith
KC: I love period romances and the story of Pride and Prejudice. After reading and attending two live plays of Austin’s story, I always felt for Mary’s position in the family and her desire to want distinction. I look forward to reading your thoughts and creation of Mary finding love ❤️ The cover picture, to me, depicts a softness of the heart. Perfect for Mary in this story.
Meryton Press
Hi Deborah. How awesome that you were able to attend two live plays. Were they wonderful? Thanks for visiting and commenting on K.C. book and cover. Good luck in the giveaway.
Julie Goodman
Love the cover, congrats!
Meryton Press
Hi Julie, thanks for visiting and good luck.
DarcyBennett
I love Mary and am always glad to find works that appreciate her and allow her to shine. This sounds like a book I’d enjoy, congrats on the release!
Meryton Press
I think you will enjoy it, DarcyBennet. Good luck with the giveaway.
Glory
The cover is fun with its art. Mary always seems to get lost in the middle of the sisters & I enjoy when she can come out from the shadow of her family & be seen as a person.
Meryton Press
Isn’t it fun cover art? We’re glad to hear that you enjoy a good Mary story, and we hope you love this one. Good luck in the giveaway.
Mary Thoennes
Always love a story focused on Mary …. We share a name
Meryton Press
Excellent – yes you do! 🙂 Thanks for visiting and commenting.
Lúthien84
The cover is cute and unique to this JAFF genre. It is vastly different from the usual historical fiction covers (painting, female/male in period costume, etc). I think it will be one to remember when people discuss about JAFF book covers.
I am glad Mary and Mr Bennet is the focus of this upcoming P&P release. I am looking forward to reading their stories.
Buturot
Congratulations on your book ! Looking forward to reading this book about Mary. Thank oyu for sharing. (The cover is eye-catching!!!)
Diane
KC: I just ordered your newest novel today and will get it here in Germany on Saturday – can hardly wait for it to arrive! Congratulations on your latest work, and I’m very much looking forward to a good read!
Meryton Press
Thanks for stopping by, Diane. It’s neat to have a visitor from Germany. 🙂