Updated: My new story, A Man of No Consequence. Later than I expected, but hopefully worth waiting for. :)

Although I will be posting weekly, I won't be able to update here at Busy Nothings during the first two weeks of April, because I will be away. However, you will still be able to read those chapters at 50 Miles or DWG, and I'll catch up here when I get home.

Updated: my Christmas story for 2012, A Storm Before Christmas. Enjoy!

I've also added a new comment system to replace the one I had to delete when I changed to new servers, just in case anyone wants to leave me a comment.

When I moved servers in December 2010 it also deleted everyone who had subscribed to email updates - including me! This means only those who have subscribed since January 2011 will receive email updates.

I will be posting a new story early in 2013. If you would like to be notified when I start posting and you didn't receive an update email today, then you can subscribe to the mailing list (or re-subscribe) using the link above.

Sorry, nothing new to add story-wise, but I have had to make a few changes to the site. Due to server issues and on-going spam problems I've had to remove the guestbook. Anyone who wants to can still send me feedback via the spam-free email link. (click the feather at the bottom of any page)

Also I've included a random image script on the index page so it will now load a different random picture each time the page is refreshed. It will be scrolling through all the old images I've used on that page since I first started Busy Nothings, so you'll have plenty to keep you entertained for a while.

Wishing all my visitors a Happy New Year!

New Year means new image on the index page, and I thought I'd start the year on a positive note with a dashing young gentleman in a black wool suit from 1813.

Enjoy!

I didn't expect to be adding anything new to the site this side of Christmas, but then when do I ever have control over my evil muse? Sometimes she just gets the bit between her teeth and off she goes.

Anyway, the result of her most recent madness is a Christmas vignette called "Born to be Wild". It's a sequel to "Driven to Distraction" and also a spoiler for the main story. If you've not already read D2D I'd recommend you start there first.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and a great 2011!

Sorry I didn't update the site last month, and missed changing the image on the index page. My computer was broken and I didn't get it back until mid-month.

The image now on the opening page is of a promenade walking dress from August 1810, with a green pelisse and a plain chip straw hat tied down with a ribbon.

Updated: Chapter twenty-four plus epilogue for "Eternal Flame".

Another story complete, and just in time for my birthday tomorrow. If you'd like to leave me a little gift I really would love to hear what you think now the whole story is finished.

Updated: Chapter twenty-three of "Eternal Flame". It's not the last. That will follow soon, hopefully sometime between 13th and 16th June. Well, that's the plan. I don't want to rush and spoil it. I'd rather take a couple of extra days to get it right.

Also, as it's the beginning of June, I've changed the image on the index page. This is one of my favourites. It's a walking dress with a green spencer (my favourite colour) from June 1814.

Updated: Chapter twenty of "Eternal Flame". Please check the Eternal Flame index for current posting schedule.

It being the beginning of a new month I've also changed the image on the main index page. It's a promenade dress or opera dress from May 1810.

Updated: Chapter seventeen of "Eternal Flame". I'll be away for a couple of weeks so the next chapter should be posted on 12th April.

As I won't be home for the beginning of the month, I've also updated the image on the index page. It now shows a yellow ball dress from April 1811.

Updated: Chapter sixteen of "Eternal Flame". Next chapter will be posted Friday 26th March.

Updated: Chapter fourteen of "Eternal Flame". Please also check the story index page for a modified posting schedule to cover the time I'm on holiday.

Tomorrow is the 1st March, and I've updated the front page with a new image. This month it's an Opera Dress from March 1809.

Updated: Chapter eleven of "Eternal Flame".

Hope you enjoy it!

Updated: Chapter ten of "Eternal Flame".

As tomorrow is the first of February I've also changed the picture on the index page. This month we have a dashing gent from 1808 wearing a Redingote with velvet collar.

Updated: Chapter nine of "Eternal Flame".

I've also posted the final part of "For Want of a Horse", which is password protected. The usual access info applies.

Happy New Year! A new month means a new image on the index page, and this month we have a Polish Walking Costume from January 1812.

To welcome in 2010, and as I was updating the site anyway, I've also added chapter six of "Eternal Flame" a day early.

Updated: Chapter five of "Eternal Flame".

It would have been available yesterday, but I was too tired last night and knew I would most likely mess it up if I tried to post it. Enjoy!

A Merry Christmas to all my readers at Busy Nothings!

Updated: Chapter four of "Eternal Flame" is now up on site. Not sure whether I'll be able to post next week, being Christmas and all, but I promise Chapter five will be up on site no later than 3rd January 2010.

Chapter two of "Eternal Flame" is now up on site. Enjoy!

Another month that felt like it only lasted two weeks! I've been away in France, so that's why I'm late updating this month. Didn't get time to write, unfortunately, but I should be able to settle back into a proper routine this week.

Meanwhile, the image on the index page now shows a gentleman in a Carrick Coat from 1810.

Had a little problem with the last part of For Want of a Horse, because it was saved onto an SD card that became corrupted. I think I have it safe now and it should be finished soon!

Today I've posted the first new section of For Want of a Horse. The whole thing splits quite nicely into three, with part one being the original story, and parts two and three being new. The bit I've added today is part two. I'll post the final part as soon as it's done.

Also, as it's October, I've changed the image on the index page. We now have a pretty morning dress from October 1812.

As we mourn the official passing of HG, I've received a gentle reminder or two that "For Want of a Horse" is no longer available on the internet. I had hoped to finish the new part and post it all together as one, but as Ms. Muse isn't co-operating on that point I've decided to post the original story, and hopefully add the new bit as soon as it's complete.

For Want of a Horse was originally closer to a PG13, (or at the very most a mild R) but the new section, when complete, will up the rating. Because of this I'm password protecting the whole story.

Thank God September is here! I've hardly written a word during the school holidays, but I do hope to do better between now and Christmas. If necessary I'll start posting Eternal Flame as a WIP. Perhaps complaints will do for my muse what gentle persuasion has failed to achieve.

For those who pay attention to the monthly fashion show, the image on the index page has been changed to a Promenade Costume from September 1811. It's one of my favourites.

August! I'd say sunny August, but it's not been that sunny here. This months image on the index page is a walking dress from August 1814.

More than half way through the year. You think this story will be complete before the end of 2009? I hope so.

My word for the day: accountability.

I've now set up The Daily Quill twitter, which will keep you informed of my writing progress ... or the lack of it. If you want to tweet me encouragement or motivational thoughts, please feel free. The little box above will show my latest 'tweet', so at least you'll know how things are going on the new story.

BTW, for those (like me) not completely au fait with social networking, you don't need to sign up to Twitter to read, only to reply and follow.

Apologies for the late update. Mea Culpa! And thanks to Lynette for giving me a kick up the backside. Well caught. At least I know someone is paying attention to the beautification I change every month.

This month's index page now shows a Full Dress from July 1814, in a pretty lilac colour. Hope you like it.

As for the writing, that's something else I need a kick up the backside for. As much as I don't want the pressure of posting a WIP, (you all know how bad I am with that) I'm beginning to think I need some kind of pressure to keep me focussed. Without it, my mind and attention is prone to straying. That's no doubt one of the problems with being a Gemini. I've had an idea of a way I might be able to work it ... give me a week or so to check things out.

Updated: Chapter fifty-five of "In Loving Memory".

There will be no new chapter of ILM next Saturday (30th August) Chapter 56 will be posted on 6th September ... we promise!

Updated: Chapter fifty-two of "In Loving Memory".

We've had to update Busy Nothings slightly earlier than usual, because we'll be out very early on Saturday morning.

Updated: Chapter fifty-one of "In Loving Memory".

New: A short regency story called "To Catch a Thief".

This is a higher rated story, folks, so it's password protected. The same arrangements apply as for my other adult stories. You can either access the site's username and password on my profile page at HG, or you can follow the direct link from the JAFF Index. (although you'll need to log in using the access details from one of the adult JAFF sites, such as HG, AHA, AU or 50 Miles)

If you're over 18 and cannot use either of those methods of access, you can click on the feather at the bottom of any page to send me an email.

Updated: Chapter forty-eight of "In Loving Memory".

Chapter forty-eight is dedicated to Mihaela. Happy Birthday, M!

Updated: Chapter forty-seven of "In Loving Memory".

As the 1st July falls on Tuesday of next week, we've changed the image on the index page a few days early. This time Heather's chosen a gentleman, from 1813. Who do you think he looks like? Darcy? Bingley? Whoever it is, you've got to love those breeches!

Updated: Chapters forty-five and forty-six of "In Loving Memory".

Despite my best efforts over the last six months, ILM unfortunately remains a work in progress. Next Saturday it will be twelve months and one day since I posted the original chapter 46 at DWG & HG. Even though I'm not completely finished, my conscience wouldn't allow me to go past a year without starting to post again. You'll have to keep your fingers crossed that I can finish the last three chapters in thirteen weeks.

I will continue posting weekly (or as close to it as possible) until all 63 chapters are posted.

It's Heather's birthday today! You can post birthday wishes here if you'd like.

Updated: Chapter forty-four of "In Loving Memory".

Updated: Chapters forty-two and forty-three of "In Loving Memory".

Heather also added links to the family trees she originally created for ILM. Hopefully that should keep those family relationships straight, and serve as a reminder to those picking up the story again following it's year long absence.

Updated: Chapter forty-one of "In Loving Memory".

And in honour of the coming of June, the main index now shows a pretty promenade dress from June 1813.

Updated: Chapters thirty-six and thirty-seven of "In Loving Memory".

New: A short modern story, "Doctor Doctor". My entry in HG's writing challenge #7 - Love's first kiss.

The eagle eyed might have noticed that we sneaked in a mid-week site update, but it was technical rather than creative; optimising the page layouts for the higher resolutions favoured by the majority of visitors. Part of that update included changing the image on the Regency index page. It now shows one of Heather's favourites: a morning dress from 1813.

Missing the dashing gent in the green coat already? Let Heather know here!

Updated: Chapter thirty-five of "In Loving Memory".

And to celebrate the coming of May, and Mother's Day for the US, Canada, France, Australia, New Zealand and lots of other places, the main index page has been updated to show a mother and child from May 1811.

Updated: Chapter thirty-three and thirty-four of "In Loving Memory".

We posted two chapters this week because they are a pair, covering one event in the story. Also, Heather decided to post two chapters instead of one because she's feeling quite positive about the sections she's been working on this week. Happy reading!

Updated: Chapter thirty-two of "In Loving Memory".

Back to our regular Saturday update this week.

Updated: Chapter thirty-one of "In Loving Memory".

New: A new ficlet in the Regency section, entitled "Poor Darcy!" It's an exclusive to Busy Nothings because it's not really long enough post anywhere else.

Apologies for the delayed update. It's been a strange weekend.

Updated: Chapter thirty of "In Loving Memory".

Updated: Chapter twenty-seven and twenty-eight of "In Loving Memory".

The next chapter will hopefully be posted on Monday 31st March.

Updated: Chapter twenty-six of "In Loving Memory".

Next Saturday we are going on holiday for a fortnight. Heather will post two chapters of ILM on the morning of the 14th March to compensate for not being here on the 22nd.

Updated: Chapter twenty-five of "In Loving Memory".

To celebrate the coming of March, and in particular Mother's Day, which - in the UK at least - is Sunday 2nd March, Heather has changed the image on the index page to show a mother and child from March 1810.

A midweek update, as promised: the final chapter of "Driven to Distraction". It didn't work out exactly as we were expecting it to, but then again this story was only ever meant to be a bit of fun, so as long as it entertained you all for a short while it did its job.

(Remember, if you can't see the site updates, and you've visited within the last day or so, try refreshing the page)

It will be a little quiet here for the next few months, as Heather gets her head down to finally finish ILM, but we'll still continue to post old chapters here every week. I hope some of you are having as much fun rediscovering it as I have.

Updated: Chapter twenty-one of "In Loving Memory".

I suspect that Heather will need a few more days to finish off "Driven to Distraction" to her satisfaction. Since deciding last week that the ever-growing chapter four needed to be split in two, she hoped that she would have the time to whip the new chapter five into something respectable by this weekend. However, circumstances dictated otherwise and RL kept intruding. The outlook for next week is better, and she hopes to have the story finished by midweek. Keep your fingers crossed!

To celebrate the coming of February, and because Heather decided that she needed something to celebrate, we've changed the image on the main index page. You can now look at a pretty Opera Dress from February 1813.

Oh, and I object to being likened to Gollum. I'm neither grey nor skinny.

Well, they do say better late than never, don't they? Issues with D2D have left Heather running a little behind schedule this week. Our apologies! As a result, I have some good news and some bad news...

The bad news is that "Driven to Distraction" isn't finished yet, even though Heather has spent the last four or five days working on it. The good news is that she's posted chapter four today, and the final chapter should complete the story around next weekend.

Also updated is chapter twenty of "In Loving Memory", which also completes part one of the story.

Updated: Chapter nineteen of "In Loving Memory" and chapter three of "Driven to Distraction". The glossary has also been updated.

We were interested to see this week that during one twenty-four hour period we were visited by readers from fourteen different countries. Isn't it great to see the worldwide appeal of Jane Austen?

Added: The first chapter (part one of four) of a new short story "Driven to Distraction". I hope you enjoy it.

Updated: Chapter seventeen of "In Loving Memory".

On the technical side, the new newsletter software has been installed and tested. Everyone who was subscribed to the old system has been transferred over to the new one.

To welcome in the New Year, we've added a new picture on the main index page. It now shows a pretty white half dress from January 1812.

The picture on the regency stories index has also been replaced. You can now enjoy a rather fetching gentleman from 1810. A young Darcy, perhaps? I'm making no comment. You decide.

Updated: Chapters fifteen and sixteen of "In Loving Memory".

On a technical note, after having problems with the software I installed for sending out site updates, Heather has removed all the subscription boxes while she replaces one system with another. Everyone who has already subscribed will be transferred onto the new system.

Updated: Chapter fourteen of "In Loving Memory" and posted the final chapter and epilogue of "To Act in Your Name".

We wish all the readers visiting the site a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Updated: Chapter thirteen of "In Loving Memory".

Today Heather added a little twiddly bit to the index page of "Just for Loving You", so that the readers can hear the song that initially inspired the story.

She's also been thinking about the design of the site, and the icons that tell the readers whether a story is a WIP or finished, whether long or short. Does everyone know that they can click on any of the little icons to get a description? Just in case they didn't, we thought a key to the symbols should be included here:

The single book identifies short, complete stories, between 3,000 and 20,000 words

The pile of books identifies longer, complete stories, usually over 20,000 words.
The open book indicates a work in progress. You have been warned!
The pocket watch identifies drabbles or very short stories up to 3,000 words.
And last but not least, the padlock indicates a story that is unsuitable for younger readers to view and requires a user name and password to enter.

Updated: Chapter eight of "To Act in Your Name".

Heather also added the links to the bottom of this page, because she forgot yesterday. She says it's her age, but I know that's just an excuse, because I don't feel that old.

Updated: Chapter ten of "In Loving Memory" added to the site.

On the technical side, Heather gave me "The Daily Quill" to play with, which is fortunate, because I was getting a little bored just watching from the sidelines; and I can get a little tetchy when I'm bored.

Don't forget to let her know what you think, by leaving a comment in the guestbook!

As she's getting in a Christmas mood, Heather changed the image on the main index page, to show something more in keeping with the season. She thought that the Morning Walking Dress from January 1813 looked rather festive with its red pelisse, trimmed with ermine. It looked even more seasonal once she added the holly! Ho Ho Ho!

The original image was a yellow Promenade Dress from July 1812. That should reappear in early January, but there's a chance that the main index image will alter every couple of months or so, just for variety.

On the technical side, Heather re-wrote the prompt screens for the two password protected stories today. Although they ask for a user name and password, in reality you don't have to register. As long as you've got the appropriate level of access to the JAFF Index, then you can follow the links directly, bypassing the password protection.

However, if you want to know the password and user name, just send me a PM at HG and I will let you have it.

Heather spent part of today collecting images for one of the new modern stories we're working on. She's not really supposed to be working on anything else right now, so shh ... it's our secret! Yes, the words "Aston" and "Martin" might appear somewhere within - Heather watches far too many episodes of Top Gear for her own good - but it's not a JFLY vignette.

Updated: Chapters seven, eight and nine of "In Loving Memory".

New Story: "Forewarned but not Forearmed". It's a short story, which hasn't been posted anywhere else. We also posted some of our drabbles and ficlets on both the regency and modern sides, at the request of Claire. I haven't yet decided which side to put "Early Morning Rendezvous", as it's neither regency nor modern.

Updated: Chapter seven of "To Act in your Name".

Heather began the lengthy task of transferring "In Loving Memory" to its new home. Of course, she can't help but meddle with it so it's getting a quick spruce up before posting. The first six chapters were added today.

On the technical side, Heather added extra links between the modern and regency story indexes so that visitors didn't have to return to the main index to switch between time periods.

A site is born! And because new mothers always like to show off their baby to visitors, we asked Victoria to add story links from the JAFF index.

Heather also installed a php guestbook so that visitors could leave a comment, rather than sending an email. Because she's had bad experiences with guestbooks being spammed to death, she picked one which had good anti-spam controls so that it wouldn't suffer quite so much from the depridations of those nasty, automated killer spam-bots.