Sofie, I can't tell you how thrilled I am to have you on board of Mrs. Darcy's Story Site. I loved this story from the very beginning, particularly the authentic, genuine feel it has to it. All the characters are so very much alive.

Can't wait for more!

love,
Renée <-- who promises to upload the other chapters asap

I second that Sofie! I've enjoyed your story very much so far, and I'm thrilled to see it here! I'm waiting patiently for a Christmas chapter - maybe in time for the actual holiday? (no pressure of course, hee!)

joanie

I too am glad to see your story posted here, I've always loved it as well. Everytime I eat pumpkin pie now, I think of your story! LOL! As Joanie said, what's in store for Christmas?

Julie

Hi girls! What a nice welcome. Does this mean that now I have to - er - Elana has to cook Christmas dinner? You'll be happy to know that chapter 12 has just gone to the betas' so I will be writing the Christmas chapter in about 2 more chapters. Now that I have work and Nano set aside I expect to be able to post regularly again.

I just want to say how terribly thrilled and flattered I was when Renee invited me to post Up From the Ashes at her wonderful site. Thank you, my dear, you are very good to me.

What great news!

Sofie, in the hectic, muddled up mess that is 'my life' I had abandoned everything I was reading, including this great story. You aren't nearly as far along as I thought you might be and I look forward to catching up. I hope all is well with you and I'm very glad to hear you are writing!

Lisa

Girls, I'm going to post Sofie's other chapters soon soon soon...! Have to convert them to txt docs first and that takes a while, but not long I promise!

Renée

All 11 chapters are posted in the meantime. Enjoy!

Renée <-- anxiously awaiting chapter 12

Sofie! My goodness, I missed this new chapter coming out, somehow. I'm glad to see another installment in this heart-warming story. All your characters are so real! I'm off to go read right now!
j

Me again!

Sofie, I enjoyed this chapter – this little get together had some special moments.

I had to laugh at this one: “… his gaze was directed across the table to where the Jam Girl sat with the candlelight casting a warm glow on her face. Lina contented herself in thinking that it threw deep shadows under her eyes…” LOL!

And this set the perfect mood for an unnerving moment between our protagonists: “A light tang of ginger trailed on the cool night air…”

Finally, I’m a little worried myself about poor Darcy the author: “He worried that Elana was beginning to mean more to him than just a muse.” I don’t think she’s much of a muse anymore if he sat all night playing the same song over and over and not writing at all!

Looking forward to more already! You will get to Christmas by Christmas, won’t you? ;)

Joanie

I've got chap 13 at the betas, so with any luck I'll get chapter 14 - which encompases Christmas - written this week and betaed in time to post for Christmas.

Oh goodie, Sofie! Can't wait. I'm so happy that you prefer writing to painting your ceilings!!

Renée

I loved the interaction between Chandra and Colin, between Elana and Chandra, between Justie and Darien, between Cody and his mum, but what I love most was the interaction between Elana and Darien... that squeeze!! *heartbeat* *faint*

They're pretty stupid, aren't they? But with a little help of family and friends everything will turn out fine in the end, I'm sure!

The match was superb! Go go Cody!

Thanks, dearest, for another wonderful chapter.

Renée

Sofie, Just found this site and am
so happy!! I've loved this story from the beginning, was it at Firthness? Anyway, love the story, the characters are living with me, they are my friends!
Hope it won't be too long before you post again. We really need to get E & D together soon!
Thanks, Sofie for a great story.
Barb

Barb, your wish has come true. I just posted chapter 14 of this great story. Enjoy!

Sofie I'll comment on it very soon!

love
Renée

Oh Sofie, I'm so amazed about your ability to evoke images that gives the story such a lovely atmosphere. You're such a keen observer of the ordinary things of life and I like to compliment you on how special you make them every time... Or did I tell you this a hundred times before? I so love the way Darien translates the things he observes into his fiction. Wonderful!

I love the irony with which Darien approaches Lina, and Justie is a great gal. The sister he really needs, like Cody is the son Elana needs to finally bring them together... hee hee

Can't wait to read the next, particularly intrigued about Greg... not only because I have a Canadian nephew by that name.

Renée

Just like Barb wrote previously, your characters are my friends. They are so very much alive, Sofie. And this chapter had some very interesting revelations for us in store. Amazing, Sam's story and the end, oh dear, the end...! Please don't keep us waiting too long, my dear. Will the road to happiness be shorter? Or, will our heroine be very angry once she's got back to her senses...? It can go either way, but you'll understand that I hope for the first option.

Loved her reluctance whilst Darien was trying to help, I loved his persistence too...

Renée <-- already longing for the next ch!

Sofie! You know how to comply with a girl's wishes! Chapter 16 so soon after 15... and what a chapter it is. Eek... I knew it! How passionate she is when angry, but how promising that is once they've made up and she'll realizes how much she adores this cool, poor misjudged guy!

How can one not love a man who's been described like this :

"Darien hadn't moved. Melting snow dripped through his hair and down his face but he made no attempt to brush it off. "I do love you." His words were fragile, like the first paper-thin ice on a pond."

Thank you, you wonderful authoress you. You've made my day.



Renée

Sofie, I just caught up on 3 chapters at once! Wow what a lot of action - that kiss was completely unexpected, and I liked the dream-like quality of what went before. It surprised me as much as it did her - or him! And then to just walk away - romantically inept indeed, LOL!

The scene where they were slashing the greenhouses was rife with confusion and crazy desperation - a very apt climax. I had to feel for the poor guy! And now they are both hurting and confused and too proud to talk. Ugh!

I am enjoying the way you bring the world of Elana's Greenhouse business so immediately to the forefront - it, along with Cody, is her whole life and it is telling that Darien recognizes that so readily. I wonder how long it will take for her to realize how well he really does know her?

Thanks for an enjoyable read, as always!
Joanie

Joanie - I think you should count yourself lucky that you got to read those three chapters at once without a space in between - even I didn't have that luxury. I've had to practically tear this stuff out of my body. I've got two more chapters written but my betas are very overloaded these days so you'll still have to wait at least week between each chapter, if not more.

Thanks for reading the story. I'm glad you're enjoying it. (now when are we going to see another chapter of FaBM????)

Sofie, sounds like a grueling process! I hope your betas 'get on the ball' soon! ;)

Mine will be another month probably. :( But I'm working on it!

I loved the match, I loved the atmosphere, the excitement. And the picture of her hair bothering her, her cold hands… gee, I know it so well, like all parents with children who practice outdoor sports… and live in a region where the climate isn’t always friendly!

Sophie, things are getting interesting now! I'm looking forward to what happens when Elana reads that book - I really enjoyed the little bits of Lanea you gave us when he was writing his manuscript, so I hope we'll see bits of this one too!? And there seem to be some odd misconceptions each continues to have about the other - Elana about Lina being his girlfriend, and something Darien thinks about Elana's past? I'm looking forward to seeing the resolution of all of this!

Sofie! Brilliant, but what a shocker there at the end! I'd forgotten all about Greg!

You are very clever... very clever -- I love it! I know Darien will save the day, but I'm eager to see what comes about and how it will be all resolved. So perfect for Greg, a yellow mustang -- I can just see it.

When is Elana going to realize Lina is not Darien's girlfriend? He told her he loves her? Wake up!

Brilliant chapter, such bittersweet moments, Elana in the candlelight yet on the other side of the table, and Darien's books in Elana's head, yet he seems impossibly out of reach to her now. I simply adore this!

Julie
(Who posted at DWG and goofed with the names, Elana/Lina -- I was in such a tizzy from this chapter -- and yes, I know I'm posting here before Renee posted this chapter!)

Sofie! Yikes I'd forgotten about Greg too. She must be so terrified! And I can't help wondering if he knows somehow already? And what is he up to with Justie? How did he manage to turn up THERE unless he was looking for Elana?

Spill, girl!

Loved how you had her reading Darien's books all week. I can't wait to see what she thinks of Lanea in the new one.

Sofie! This Greg man is bad news indeed... I'm devastated. The lies, the acting... Poor Elana. I admire her self-control when he broke the news to Cody. I don't know if I could have bore that without showing. The nerve of that man!

I really really hope you won't have us wait too long, dearest. Release Justie from this evil man, send him to prison, erase him from Cody's memory and let Elana and Darien live happily ever after... soon!

It was a wonderful, but very disturbing chapter.

love
Renée

Darling Sofie, I'm impressed with the way you managed to channel Elana's feelings. It's such a delicate, nasty situation. How wise of her to get in touch with Darien and not with Justie. How fabulous his reasonable reaction (I hadn't expected anything else actually! ;)). Poor Elana, such a dilemma, what is wisdom in cases like these? She's handling it very well, I think.

My compliments, dear. :)

Renée

Sofie! I deliberately waited for three chapters, hoping I could get all the Greg angst out of the way at once, but it's only just begun, hasn't it?

I loved the interlude right after she told him, and he comforted her. That was hopeful. It's good that Elana trusted Darien enough to tell him the whole story, and that Darien was smart enough to dig up his own dirt before telling Justie. But no one anticipated Greg's desire and capacity for revenge, did they?

I just knew he was going to take Cody up to the mountains alone - yikes! Waiting anxiously for you to fix this soon please! ;)

I can't blame her, she was in love, but I was so afraid of Justie's persistence. Pffft... so happy that she yielded in the end and trusted her brother enough to see where the truth lies.

But now, Cody! This is horrid. How awfully scary. But Greg wouldn't hurt him, I'm sure he won't. Please, Sofie, don't leave us hanging there too long.

Renée

Dearest Sofie, I can't tell you how relieved I am. Elana will be surrounded by two fabulous men soon. Cody is the most wonderful son a mother could wish for, and Darien, well Darien... words fail to describe a great gul like him.

Renée <-- very much looking forward to the next!

Sofie, I enjoyed this chapter, not only because it FIXED the 2 that went before, but because it brought Darien and Elana that much closer together. And that Cody - it just shows how resilient well-loved children are, that my worrying for him seems to have been unfounded. He is one of those characters that cheer me every time he's in a chapter - you've written him with such true-to-life boyishness.

Looking forward to watching Elana figure it all out!

J

Sofie! What a very satisfying ending. I liked so much of this, especially thinking of them all as a happy family, and Sam living in a decent place finally and enjoying a bit of an easier life. He deserves it, as Cody deserves to have such a loving substitute father.

Thank you for this heart-warming tale in an unusual setting! I will think back fondly on it whenever I see a pile of pumpkins.

J

Heart-warming indeed, Joanie. You took the words right out of my mouth. Sofie, I can't tell you how much I loved your tale. It was so true to life, the characters were so real, the setting so appealing and the end *sigh* the end, so lovely.

I realize that I've been a little remiss in my comments, but I hope you'll excuse me. I will read your new story asa I return from my short vacation in France and comment on it properly.

Oh, you're such a talented woman, I love you!

kisses and hugs
Renée

Thanks to everybody who both read and commented on this story. Writing is half to fun - sharing is the other half. My special thanks to you Renee for inviting me to post my story at your site and making me such a wonderful story page. I love you too. Hope you had a good holiday.

Sofie, I've uploaded all your chapters... It was such a treat to go through it all over again... And I'm very happy to have it here on my site. It's one of my all time favourites. I've said it before, but while reading I felt as if I was part of it all. What a great bunch of friends, what a lovely love story! Thanks.

Sofie's Story page

Renée <-- off to finally read 'The Annoying Truth'

Sophie - I finally got to read your story - I really enjoyed it! I like modern D&E stories as much as the period ones. Yours is great.

Thanks Amy! I'm so glad you enjoyed my story - finding your message here really made my day.

Dear Sofie
This story is beautifully written; I love your use of language and the way you develop the characters.
Congratulations on a piece that goes way beyond fan fiction.
I hope you are writing another story. Your talent shouldn't be wasted!

Dear Sofie,

I just finished Up From The Ashes and loved it. Thank you so much for sharing it with all of us. You evoke wonderful imagery with your words and transport me to facinating places populated by such interesting people.

Thanks again,

Wendy

Sofie,

I just want to say that Up From the Ashes is one of my favorites and I am very pleased that you posted it here.

I read it at DWG long ago and wished I could comment because I just loved some of the elements you used. I loved his real name, I loved the history of the bedroom set, I loved Elena the hardworking supermom, and could go on and on. This is a very original take on the P&P story and I just have to thank you and praise you for having shared it!

Sofie's story has a new coat. She likes it, I hope you do too!

Sophie, this is such a wonderful story! After reading this I went over to Bennet Girls and read some of your other work. It's all equally amazing. As soon as I have time, I'll read more! Renee, the new page looks great!

Renee, the new page looks great

Thanks Sammy!

Sofie's UFTA is one of my fav modern adaptations. It's so real to life, ...the friendships, solidarity and love, of course, particularly the one between mother and son. So poignant! Delightfully stupid Lina! Great story indeed.

Sofie... I really enjoyed reading Up from the Ashes this morning. it's a lovely story, thankyou.

This is beautiful! Thank you!!!

Just reread this (for about the 5th time lol) and just thought I'd drop you a line. I absolutely love this story...just enough angst to keep it interesting and your characterisations are awesome!

Any chance of some more writing in the future?

Thanks Kate! It makes me feel good to know you like this story well enough to reread it so many times.

I'd love to tell you that I have another story in the works, but aside from my two WIPs (one a regency and one a Mary Stewart crossover ) that I've not worked on for many months, I have no P&P stories planned at all. I have three original stories that will take precedence over FF when my muse finally returns. I am also an artist and all my creative energy of late has been directed towards my painting. I know I will write again, possibly when the winter months keep me indoors swaddled in blankets.

Take care, Kate, and in the meantime you could reread my other story posted here, Time of the Season, or check out the many others I have posted at the Bennetgirls story site.