Blog Tour for Sailor's Rest
The schedule and more
New subscribers to Austenesque Thoughts will receive a complimentary copy of one of my books released on Audible (promo codes valid at US or UK Audible only). That includes “Lessers and Betters” as well as one of the first seven volumes of the Bennet Wardrobe Series. I will contact you back via email to learn about your choice.
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The next three weeks are going to be very busy. Tomorrow’s writing sprint will be devoted to writing blog posts and selecting excerpts for the Blog Tour supporting The Sailor’s Rest. As such, I will be devoting my Austenesque thinking to support my hosts.
For instance, in Guest Post #1 (Babblings of a Bookworm) I will offer an explanation of why I came to write a Pride and Prejudice/Persuasion crossover. As you know, I intentionally use the word crossover instead of mashup. Why? Because the latter conveys the sense that one book (likely P&P) is primary, and the other characters play secondary roles in the entire story. In Sailor’s Rest I try to position Anne and Wentworth as equals with Elizabeth and Darcy. The Persuasion lovers are as important to the overall plot as is ODC.
Other posts will examine Darcy and Wentworth, Elizabeth and Anne, Admiral and Mrs. Croft, my inspiration for core events in the book, and the insertion of a naval adventure in the midst of an Austenesque story. I will double publish in this space so you can read them at your leisure.
Here is the blog tour schedule to support The Sailor’s Rest:
Wednesday, March 16: Cover Reveal at https://frompemberleytomilton.wordpress.com/2023/03/16/the-sailors-rest-by-don-jacobson-cover-reveal-giveaway/
Saturday, March 18: Cover Reveal #2 at https://alwaysausten.com/2023/03/18/cover-reveal-the-sailors-rest/
Tuesday, March 28: Launch Day…Babblings of a Bookworm https://babblingsofabookworm.blogspot.com/2023/03/the-sailors-rest-by-don-jacobson-guest.html?sc=1680036454107#c290473065396144572
Thursday, March 30: Savvy Verse and Wit https://savvyverseandwit.com/2023/03/guest-post-excerpt-and-giveaway-the-sailors-rest-by-don-jacobson.html
Saturday, April 1: My Jane Austen Book Club http://thesecretunderstandingofthehearts.blogspot.com/2023/04/the-sailors-rest-naval-adventure-jane.html
Monday, April 3: Interests of a Jane Austen Girl
https://interestsofajaneaustengirl.wordpress.com
Thursday, April 6: Delighted Reader
Saturday, April 8: So Little Time…
Monday, April 10: My Vices and Weaknesses
https://myvicesandweaknesses.wordpress.com/
Wednesday, April 12: Austenesque Reviews
https://austenesquereviews.com/
All will be supported by excerpts and are part of the giveaway which features 10 e-book copies of The Sailor’s Rest. If you wish to enter the drawing (no purchase necessary), please use this link.
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/9d1fdafb1/?
I appreciate your ongoing interest in my writing and my thoughts on all things Austenesque. Speaking of Austenesque, the next JAFF Writer/Reade Get-Together Work-In-Progress zoom session will be held Saturday, April 22 at 12 Noon (US Eastern Daylight Time). Please join in. You will need to register your email at the JAFF Writer/Reader Get-Together site to receive the zoom link.
Here are the links for the blogs I mentioned above.
https://babblingsofabookworm.blogspot.com/
http://thesecretunderstandingofthehearts.blogspot.com/
https://interestsofajaneaustengirl.wordpress.com
https://myvicesandweaknesses.wordpress.com/
https://austenesquereviews.com/
Now, enjoy an excerpt that will give you a taste of the naval adventure part of the book. The Sailor’s Rest is in presale through March 28.
Use this link worldwide to reach your Amazon store for The Sailor’s Rest:
https://mybook.to/SailorsRestPandP
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This excerpt from "The Sailor's Rest is (c) 2023 by Donald P. Jacobson. Reproduction is prohibited.
From Ch. 29
Naiad Quarterdeck
Croft growled as he squinted through the glass at the British frigate, its mizzenmast a stump, but its main and fore showed complete suites drawing. “Typical froggish gunnery. They owned her, by God, and muffed it. Crossed their ‘T,’ damme me, and did not lay a ball aboard, less’n you count ripping up one o’ their heads. My rawest mid could have done better! Now the crapaud’s makin’ her turn to come down her starboard and press their advantage.”
The admiral continued his account. “Who’s in command over there? Even a pompous prig like Walinsham has spent enough time in His Majesty’s ships to know she’s in a bad way. If he cannot right her, he had better strike, or he will be killing his people.”
His words floated above the blue-coated officers lining Naiad’s railing. The lack of cannon fire threw the group gazing across two miles of water into a concerned funereal silence. Such gunnery was expected from the French as they already had shot their load but not from a slewing English frigate riding with her starboard gunports shut. Something must be dreadfully wrong with Persephone. Mayhap all her officers had been killed in that first fearsome attack. Perhaps ’twas more than leaderless confusion. More than one officer’s glass turned its eye to the ship’s stern, praying for the lesser of two evils: surrender rather than the raising of mutiny’s red rag.
Then Lieutenant Price chuckled and uttered in his Hampshire drawl, “I see one officer’s jacket. Must’ve lost his topper. I have never known any of our people to dress so shoddily. The way they’re movin’ about, I doubt if they know we’re on our way.”
He shifted his glass toward Persephone’s tops. “Don’t see any lookouts. Everybody’s too busy trying to make repairs.”
Rochet lowered his telescope and barked out. “Make our number, Mr. Yale. Add a gun for emphasis!”
Croft cleared his throat to get Rochet’s attention. “Might I suggest you spell out my name below and include' Enemy in Sight?' I am not unknown in the service. If Walinsham is that officer still upright, he’ll count his political eggs and act the gentleman to work with us. If it is anyone else, my name will give them heart.”
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Persephone
“Excuse me, sir.” A quavering voice sounded from behind. As he gingerly mounted the quarterdeck, Darcy turned and caught sight of a youngster, apparently the only remaining mid—a squeaker in the truest sense. The boy’s confusion was etched on his face when he saw Wentworth standing in the captain’s traditional place.
Wentworth’s commanding presence cut short any questions. “Ah, Mr. Twombley, just the man: I believe you and I are the only remaining officers until Captain Walinsham turns up.”
A distant boom to starboard grabbed at their ears. Even the two helmsmen craned their necks to see what was coming for them. Wentworth automatically threw out his hand. Equally unthinking, the midshipman grabbed the remaining glass in the binnacle’s rack and slapped it into the waiting palm. Wentworth took a long moment to read the flags before him. Then he grinned. But, even in the heat of battle, the traditional ballet between captain and midshipman continued.
He handed the telescope to Twombley. “What signals yonder, Mister?”
The apprentice took a nervous look forward at the French frigate now on a straight course that would bring her cannon perpendicular to Persephone’s swinging stern. Then he steadied, turned to face the new ship, and balanced the glass on the railing. He put his eye to it. Lips moved as he scribbled on his slate. Then he removed a weighted book from the binnacle housing and ran his fingers down the closely spaced columns. With a nod, he returned to the two men, one wearing a jersey begrimed with powder and sweat, the other clad in a blue coat that barely covered his naked chest. He doffed his hat.
The mid’s voice broke in his excitement. “If you please, sir,” he began, clearly accepting Wentworth’s authority, “She is Naiad, 38. She is flying ‘Enemy in Sight.’ She has also spelled out C-R-O-F-T, although I do not know what that means. I am sorry, sir.”
Darcy was equally puzzled. The only ‘croft’ he knew was a small farm.
Wentworth rumbled. “Oh, capital: this day does improve upon acquaintance! No, Mr. Twombley, I do not expect you to know the importance of those five letters. His most extraordinary claim to fame was back in the Year Five—you would have been in leading strings—when he commanded Royal Sovereign as Collingwood broke through the French van!
“Darcy, my brother Admiral Alfred Croft is aboard Naiad. If I am proven wrong, I will spot you a dinner with enough champagne to float a liner. “We have that frog bastard now! Quick, Twombley, run up the flags for ‘Boarding,’ ‘Starboard,’ and ‘Engage.’ End with two letters: F then W. Admiral Croft will know what I am about, and Naiad’s captain will know what to do.”
I think you will find it an interesting take on the stories.
Looking forward to reading this story. Thanks for sharing.