Guest Blogger: Sara Angelini & Giveaway

A few days ago, I reviewed THE TRIALS OF THE HONORABLE F. DARCY, a modern-day take on Jane Austen's PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. I enjoyed the love story and definitely liked the "current" portrayal of Elizabeth and Darcy.

I am so glad that the author of THE TRIALS OF THE HONORABLE F. DARCY Sara Angelini has prepared a guest post for my blog. I think it's especially appropriate since Ms. Angelini talks about motherhood and how much it can change your life. I also relate to her need to have a creative outlet besides work -- I'm sure many moms will agree!

I once had a desk
But then I had two cute kids
Now I have two cribs

That little haiku pretty much sums up the two writing periods of my life: Before Kids and After Kids. Three years ago, when I first began writing The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy, I had a fabulous workspace. My desk was positioned facing a balcony that had a view of the San Francisco Bay. My Mission desk held a computer monitor, a desk lamp, some post-its, and a picture of my husband. Behind my chair was our guest bed, where my husband would often lounge while I tappity-tapped on my keyboard and the dogs snoozed at my feet.

Every evening I came home from work, had a leisurely dinner with my husband, watched a little television, then settled at my desk to write until two or three in the morning fuelled by Diet Coke and cinnamon-sugar pita chips. Sometimes my husband would complain that I was spending too much time on the computer, ignoring him (and the laundry). What started off as a whim - a dalliance in fan fiction that rapidly approached borderline obsession - became a serious hobby, an effort to shake off the pressures of my hectic job as an attorney by indulging in a little lighthearted romance writing. It was the first time in a long, long time that I’d had a creative outlet, and I wanted to make the most of it.

I wrote whenever and wherever I could. I purchased a handheld recorder and dictated dialogue while I commuted to work. I kept a legal pad in my briefcase, designated for jotting down any flashes of creativity that occurred during courtroom downtime. It wasn’t unusual for me to email scene ideas to myself in between phone calls to clients.

When the story was finished to my satisfaction, I began to post chapters on Jane Austen fan fiction boards. My personal commitment was to finish a story completely before I started posting, so that nobody would ever be left hanging with an unfinished Work In Progress. Midway through writing my second story, I became pregnant with my first child. I was unfazed. How hard could it be to juggle work, writing, and motherhood? I finished the story and began posting chapters, even posting from my hospital bed mere hours after giving birth to my daughter, Sophia. I was Superwoman.

It wasn’t long before reality clubbed me over the head. My beautiful bay view office was converted to a nursery. My nights of writing steamy romance gave way to two-hour feedings. Even with my incredibly supportive and helpful husband, my leisure time plummeted to nil, and whenever I did snatch a few moments, I spent them a) sleeping, b) showering, or c) sleeping. We had a new routine. We came home from work, took turns eating dinner and feeding Sophia, bathed and put her to bed, and tried to stay awake past 9 pm.

When Sourcebooks picked up Trials, I had to make a lot of revisions to my original manuscript. I had deadlines to meet and people to answer to. It forced me to sit down and write…or else. Sure it was stressful, but I also proved to myself that I could still write, even without a beautiful view of the bay. I began jotting new ideas into spiral notebooks until I had five different volumes, each housing a story kernel. The creative juices were really beginning to flow again!

Indeed.

So much so that I “created” another life. Just sixteen months after Sophia was born, my son Viggo Luciano was born. He’s just four months old now, and we’re still in the midst of two a.m. feedings and dodging projectile spit-up. I’m tired and cranky and fifteen pounds overweight.

But I’m itching to write again. There are characters in my head bugging me to write them, demanding that I give them voice. All I need is a little nudge, a little pressure to force me to get back in front of the screen. So I encourage all of you: please, nag me!!


THE TRIALS OF THE HONORABLE F. DARCY—in stores October 2009!

A sexy, bold adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice that re-paints favorite characters in twenty-first century colors

Judge Fitzwilliam Darcy, a legal expert on both sides of the Atlantic, is ready to hang up his black robe and return to the life of a country gentleman—until he meets Elizabeth Bennet, a fresh-faced attorney with a hectic schedule and no time for the sexy but haughty judge.

Tempers and sparks fly in Judge Darcy's courtroom— and outside, in a series of chance encounters that give each of them pause—as the two match wits and try to fight their overwhelming attraction. When they meet up in England at an international law conference, they embark on a hot, heavy affair. Back in the States, though, ethical considerations intrude, and each is subjected to a torturous period of soul-searching before they can find their way back to each other...

About the Author
Sara Angelini is an attorney living in the San Francisco Bay area. After earning an MS in Animal Sciences, she decided against becoming a veterinarian when she realized she only liked her own pets and moved to California with her husband to pursue law school. She is working on her third novel.

Thanks to the publisher Sourcebooks I have a copy of THE TRIALS OF THE HONORABLE F. DARCY to share with one lucky reader. To enter this giveaway, all you have to do is leave a comment (with a way to contact you) telling me what your favorite Jane Austen novel is. To double or even triple your chances, you can tweet and/or blog about this giveaway with a link back to this post. This contest is open until Friday, October 30th at 11:59 p.m., and I will notify the winner the following day. U.S. and Canada mailing addresses only -- no p.o. boxes please. Good luck!