Hello, fellow campaigners of the writing world! I am back with another blog post! Wow, I am actually posting regularly? How is that even possible. We shall see how long it lasts, haha! But today I am writing about a topic I mentioned last week– my newest work in progress!
My newest WIP is called The Arrogance of Elegance. It is a British Regency period drama set around a 20-year-old Magdelline Forsythe who has her eyes set to marry her childhood friend and neighbor, Mr. Nicolas Burns who has no idea of her intentions. Basically, it is a romantic comedy because Magdelline’s assurance of the match can be quite ridiculous. It has some Christian themes of moral and character as well, though it doesn’t have as much of a huge impact on the plot as my other book, the Hope of Hattie Phelan.
I actually have the first ten chapters up on Wattpad if you want to read it. I also have a PDF of the finished short story which inspired the book I am writing now. And you can get it now if you sign up for my mailing list/newsletter! You will also get the first three chapters of my upcoming novel, the Hope of Hattie Phelan.
I first got the inspiration for the story when I was reading a Grace Livingston Hill book (something about Victoria Gracen) and this character was introduced in the beginning, and she was rude and full of herself. I thought she was the main character so I got excited to read from her point of view, but it turned out that she was not (I asked my sister who had already read the book). I then was too bummed out to finish the book and decided to sit down to write out my own book with an extremely flawed main character. I will share the short portion I wrote at that time. Also, a note: I didn’t know where to start so I started at an argument that would happen later in the book, and then skipped ahead to the next part. And also note that this is at least 5 years old if not older so it is a bit melodramatic, but would it be one of my works if it wasn’t a bit of a melodrama? Haha.
A Change Of Heart
PART I: 1845
Magdelline sat in her father’s study reading a book on fossils of the long-lost creatures of the deep. She was pondering on the sketch of a fossilized snail when she a knock interrupted her thoughts. She quickly pulled a catalog over the book as she gave permission to enter. Looking up, her maid Anise walked in, her posture as poised as ever.
“Yes, Anise?” She said closing the dress catalog, setting it aside. Anise knew of her secret hunger for knowledge but was forbidden to speak of it to anyone else because of Magdelline’s wishes.
“Miss Magdelline, Nicolas Burns is here to speak to you,” Anise stated mildly, waiting for her mistress’s word of command. Magdelline smirked slightly at the thought of wooing the man again. She was so close to making him fall for her completely. She knew she was close. But something was holding him back before— maybe now he came to ask her to be his beau.
“Escort him in, Anise,” she said with an air of arrogance. “But make sure you hold him off for me to get ready.” Anise curtsied, nodding swiftly before walking out the door. Magdelline looked into the large mirror above the mantel. Her hair was as perfect as ever— her brown locks flowing down her back, her cheekbones were accented with a faint blush and her lips were full. In her eyes, she was stunning. Even more, than she had been at Eleanor’s wedding; and she was quite a stunner there. Right as she sat down to close her book, Nicolas Burns strode into the room.
She looked up, a ray of horror shining in her eyes momentarily as she saw his eyes were not adoring. She quickly covered it up with amusement, as she nonchalantly pulled the catalog over the open book.
“Mr. Burns, what a surprise?” She asked as he took long strides to reach her. “What honor do I have of this visit?” Nicolas looked at her with disgust.
“I’ve had enough of your games, Magdelline.” he scowled. She shivered unconsciously as he spoke her name.
“Games?” she looked at Anise who stood by the door emotionless. With a wave of her hand, Anise left the two alone. “What games, Mr. Burns?”
“That little stunt you pulled with Audra,” he spat, looking into the mirror over the mantel. He wiped his hand over his face while his other held a felt hat behind his back.
“Stunt? What stunt?” Magdelline blinked as Nicolas took a step toward her with such menace she could almost feel the heat radiating off of him.
“Why are you so infuriated, Mr. Burns?” She asked innocently, pouring tea into teacups as she sat down on a velvet loveseat. “Please sit down for some tea.” Nicolas’s eyes flared dangerously as he threw himself into the seat.
“You know exactly why I am infuriated Magdelline,” he seethed standing right back up to pace the floor.
“I don’t see what you are getting at,” Magdelline said slowly, before looking him in the eye. “One sugar lump or two?”
“Whatever, Magdelline!” He lashed, turning to glare at her with his bright blue eyes shooting daggers at her. She smiled smugly. If she kept her cool, ignorant attitude long enough, the situation would be under her control and she could win over Nicolas Burns.
“One lump of sugar it is,” she stated smugly, as she handed him his cup of tea, which he took violently. But then she looked again into his eyes, seeing pity in them. Not for himself, but for her.
“Why do you keep at it?” He stated rather coolly, looking at her in wonder.
“You might have to explain, Mr. Burns.” She stated simply.
“That! Exactly that!” He shook his head angrily as he set his untouched tea on the side table. “You act as an innocent and ignorant fool when you actually are an observant and intellectual young woman—”
“I thank you kindly for that compliment,” she smiled to herself thinking that she was winning.
“—so why act as so? It is getting you nowhere, Magdelline.” Magdelline blinked in surprise. Then she stood up abruptly, letting her temper flare.
“It has gotten me everything, Mr. Burns,” she replied coldly standing up to her tallest. Even with her full posture, Nicolas Burns stood a good foot above her.
“Really?” He laughed bemused. “How so?”
“It’s gotten me to live with my parents who had forced my other bright and intellectual siblings out of the house and into the wild city of life. My parents believe that I need some more tutoring before I make it out on my own, and I’m glad for the free shelter and the presence of wise elders,” she fumed, stepping closer to him looking him in the eye. “It also has gotten me the time to read people better if they had to explain things again and again so I could read their emotions—”
“But why?” He asked, grasping her shoulders which temporarily shocked her.
“Because I enjoy the attention of being the only child—” but Nicolas shushed her.
“No,” he said softly. “Why read people?”
“So I know how to push their buttons and how to get what I want.” She seethed. He let go of her shoulders to her relief— but at once she missed it. She had enjoyed the attention. “How I love to pester people.”
“That’s sickening, Miss Forsythe,” he stated coldly, turning to the door. “Good night.” His bitter tone when he called her by her formal name shocked her. It cut her deeply. She had always been Magdelline to him. But now just Miss Forsythe?
With a sigh, she fell upon the loveseat in despair. What had she done? The room felt colder without Nicolas and his anger to warm it. She at once missed his presence. She felt sick to the stomach. But, Magdelline! Why so upset? You won, right? You didn’t let him force out an apology on Audra. But that made her stomach even more upset. She didn’t feel like throwing up, so why did she hurt so bad? My heart is in my stomach still. She presumed. But deep down she knew that wasn’t the answer. She knew the only way to heal her hurt heart and sick stomach was to live up to her mistakes and accept that she was wrong.
Her pride broken, her heart hurting, and her conscious hanging low, she knew she didn’t have a moment to lose. She must apologize to Audra Burns and all the other people she hurt verbally with her knife of a tongue.
PART II: CHAPTER I
Audra Burns stood in front of her mirror, glancing at it self-consciously. Was Magdelline right? Was she too plump for any man to love her? Even Norbert Trells? She shook her head in dismay as she thought back on the wedding. Magdelline had basically manipulated her over the months to eat extras here and there, only resulting in Delly saying that she was “on the plump side”? Audra was ashamed to have befriended such a beast-of-a-woman— no matter her relation to Norbert. She could be the Queen of Sheba and she wouldn’t care for her.
With a sigh of dutiful resentment, Audra stepped away from the mirror, sitting down at her vanity. She brushed her hair like the nightly routine she had been doing since she was a small toddler. I wonder if the routine would be different if I married Norbert— She paused, shaking her head at her thinking.
As she ran her fingers through her dark brown hair, there was a knock on the door. Margaret, her maid, said that a woman was here for her. Standing up, she straightened her outfit, allowing Marge to escort the woman into her room. Margaret brought in a beautiful, well-dressed girl who was looking at the floor. She looked very familiar in an irksome way. The girl looked up revealing Magdelline Forsythe. Audra gasped slightly.
“Magdelline Forsythe!” she exclaimed. “What on Earth—”
“Please Audra,” Magdelline said softly with no emotion, gesturing to the bed. “Sit down.” Completely awestruck, she complied.
“What occasion brings you here?” Audra asked bitterly, glancing at the young girl who stood looking down on her with curious eyes.
“I’ve come on a most important occasion, Audra,” she stated plainly. Kneeling down before Audra, Magdelline held her hands in her own. “I’ve come to apologize.” Audra’s breath hitched at the unexpected turn of events.
“Apologize?” Audra questioned, looking deep into Magdelline’s brown eyes.
“Y-Yes,” Magdelline said with a nod. Her shaky fingers clasped Audra’s hands. “I— I am truly sorry. For— er, for causing strife to you. It wasn’t very right of me to trick you into eating seconds and then dissing you about being too plump for any man to love you. Because that doesn’t matter. You really aren’t plump, and if there were any good man such as Norbert, they’d love you for your personality other than your looks. I— I’m sorry. Could you forgive me?” Audra was shocked. In all of her life, she had never heard of Magdelline Forsythe apologizing no matter what the situation. And she was quite honored that the first person to be apologized to was her.
“You actually mean that you hold remorse for insulting me, and insulting my love for Norbert?” Audra asked, watching the girl who was kneeled before her. Magdelline bit her lip anxiously.
“Yes—” she nodded grimly. “But I—” she caught herself. “There are no ‘buts’. I was wrong and no excuses are to be made. I am deeply sorry for all the pain I have caused you in all the years I’ve known you.” Audra squeezed Magdelline’s hands in her own.
“Why did you ever do that to me? I just want to know, Maggie.” Audra sighed, looking at her hands.
“To be honest, I was jealous of the attention you were getting from my cousin, Norbert,” Magdelline confessed. “I’d never received that attention since— since ever, really. But enough about me. Would you please forgive all the brash, irrational and pompous mistakes I’ve made?”
“Then yes,” she smiled widely. “I forgive you, Maggie.” Magdelline beamed with joy. Because for once in her life, it felt like she made a right decision.
Part II: Chapter II
The two young women sat in the front lounge, drinking tea together. They caught up on their families’ lives, and Audra got her share of “Norbert Gossip” and Magdelline sneakily got “Nicolas Gossip” without it being too obvious that she was too interested in him.
Speaking of the devil, Nicolas Burns walked up the street to the house. He was going to speak to Audra about his earlier confrontation with Magdelline. He wanted her to cut off any relations with her— as soon as possible. Walking through the door, he strode with a package in his hands.
“Audra, a package came for you—” he said, spotting his sister along with his “boycotted” friend. “YOU!” Magdelline felt her heart drop to her stomach. Her face burned up with embarrassment and blush.
“‘You’? Is that how you treat a guest, Nick?” Audra scolded worriedly.
“Miss Forsythe, may I have a word alone with Audra?” he asked. Magdelline nodded gloomily, walking into the kitchen to catch up with the cooks.
“What on earth is with the outburst, Nick?” Audra seethed, standing up to face her brother.
“I was just coming here to talk about that beastly woman,” he scowled, pacing the room. “I see she’s come to manipulate you again? That woman never learns—”
“She’s apologized,” Audra stated plainly, setting down her teacup. Nicolas stopped in his tracks.
“Pardon?”
“She apologized, Nicolas,” Audra repeated calmly. “For everything. She even gave the trigger of her bitterness.” Nicolas was taken aback. The stubborn woman he had fought with earlier couldn’t have been the same as the calm, intellectual woman he had briefly met moments ago. She was positively charming.
Like I stated above, that wasn’t the best work I’ve done, but it has developed so much since then. I was in a writing class last fall for college and I needed to write a fictional short story so, when I came across this old thing in my Google Drive, I decided to revamp it by making it a Regency-era drama. And I am super excited to continue to work on this book. There is a lot of quippy dialogue (which took me completely by surprise as I started writing in Magdelline’s point-of-view), cringe-worthy moments in her head, and a lot of yearning for Mr. Burns. I mean who wouldn’t? You’ve only seen the angry side of him through an old short story. His new character is like a mix of Mr. Bingley and Mr. Tilney. I think. Haha, he is Mr. Nicolas Burns who is his own character.
As you can tell, I am super excited about this book and can’t wait to keep you all updated. I will be trying to finish the book in July for Camp NaNoWriMo and I am aiming to write another 20,000 which might end up being less than–unless I end up writing a sequel as well. I am already over 20,000 words into the book, and looking at how far I am into the book, I think it will be a shorter one compared to the whopping 65k my other WIP is at.
My plan is to finish writing it, edit it a bit before putting the rest of it on Wattpad to gain a following on there. Then, I will probably make a book trailer since I’ve always wanted to. I don’t have a finalized book cover (the one on Wattpad is old and I’m not a fan). So, I will keep you guys updated on that. I will also probably talk about that in the next newsletter for July to give a run down.
Thank you so much for reading my blog post! If you’d like to chat, you can find me on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook with the handle @ afkoppauthor.
Salutations!
Respectfully,
A. F. Kopp
A. F. Kopp Author 