An offer to our Goodreads winners and runners up!

For our recent paperback giveaway, the winners are ...

Joanne from Michigan

and

Julie from Alaska

These photos were posted on our Instagram account, @noes_expressions, the day we mailed the packages out. Our winners actually received their copies of our paperback book, Captivated by Youth and Beauty: Mr. Bennet's story, about 2 weeks ago. We hope you are both enjoying the story!

As an incentive to your posting a Goodreads review once you have completed reading our captivating novel, Julie and Joanne, we would like to give you both a free copy of our likewise charming e-short story, The Conversation: with Elizabeth Darcy and Emma Knightley!

But wait, there's more ...

If you are one of the persons who put us on your Goodreads to-be-read list but were not one of the winners, we'd love to give you a free copy of our e-short story just for entering the giveaway also! 

How to receive your free digital copy:
Email us (noeandcindy.write @ gmail .com) letting me know your Goodreads name showing our Captivated book on your TBR list — or if by chance, you have already read it, show me what shelf you have it on. Leave your file preference of either Kindle mobi, epub (works on Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and other devices), or pdf version.

One more thing
As you know, authors need ratings and reviews, not only to keep them encouraged to continue writing, but also to let others know about their stories. For that reason, we would love to see your ratings/reviews on Goodreads, Amazon, or any place else you might think your friends would see it.

Thank you!

Learn more about us here:
Amazon author page
Barnes & Noble author page
Goodreads author page

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorsNoeandCindy

We're on Facebook!

Finally ...

I never liked Facebook way back when, so I stayed away from it. But things change and I recently thought it would be a good idea for us to get an FB page for our writing.

It's taking me just a little while to get to know it, but I find it's pretty much like Instagram and even Google+ in the way it's all set up. Not sure which I like best, but I do like that on IG you can find more people or interests easier through hastags. Maybe I just haven't experimented enough on FB yet.

So, we're looking for more followers or likes to get that page going! We have a standing offer of our eshort story "The Conversation ..." free for those that like our page. I'll probably take that down after a certain period of time, so catch it while you can!

Here we are: www.facebook.com/AuthorsNoeandCindy

Thank you for reading what noeandcindy.write !

This post is by CINDY

https://www.amazon.com/author/noeandcindy.write

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Comparing Jane Eyre and Elizabeth Bennet

Who makes the most compelling heroine***?

This is not about which is the better story, but rather which of these girls is most to be admired for their character and outstanding achievements.

 

Let’s begin with Elizabeth Bennet, who is admired for standing up for her ideal of love even when doing so puts her at a decided disadvantage by turning down the marriage proposals of Mr. Collins and Mr. Darcy. She is applauded for not compromising on this most personal of matters having to do with love and marriage. In view of the time and culture that she lived in, as well as having the constant urging of her mother, her example makes us hope we would do the same for love today. Like the song What I did for Love says: ‘I won’t regret what I did for love.’

As brave as Elizabeth’s actions were, there was also a certain safety in the course she chose. Consider: she had a family that loved her, her best friend was her older sister, and her father cherished her company. Mr. Bennet was not nearing death, so the consequence of not marrying right away was still some time off in the future. Yes, young ladies did routinely marry younger than she was at that time, but her friend Charlotte, who was seven years older than Lizzy, was still unmarried, and seven years for a twenty-year-old is still a long time—the possibilities and prospects associated with the youthful mind can be endless. So, that begs the question, was she being more safe than brave in the course she took? Was she really a hero ... a person of distinguished courage, admired for brave deeds and noble qualities?

 

  
Turning to Jane Eyre, she is but ten years old when we are introduced to her, being raised, as we all know, in a home where she is despised and treated cruelly. And yet, at this tender age she stands up for herself to her aunt and embraces the challenge of a new life in a school far away from the place she has called home. Meet the unexpected with head held high—a real hero. When things improve for her at the school, she grows up to be a teacher. At eighteen years old now, instead of opting for the security of what she has, she bravely and courageously sets out to see what lies beyond the walls of her present comfortable situation. Once again, we see the character of a hero. As the story goes, we keep seeing Jane Eyre’s resolve to do the brave thing, the right thing—even dividing her inheritance at the end with her new found family. All this is the mark of a truly compelling heroine.

Therefore, in answer to the question Who makes the most compelling heroine, Elizabeth Bennet or Jane Eyre?, I would have to say: in the case of Elizabeth Bennet, we have a girl that is brave by her inaction, which can also be seen as playing it safe. Assuredly, she is a compelling female character in a love story, but not really a heroine in the true sense of the word. On the other hand, Jane Eyre’s courage and bravery are marked around every turn by her displaying herself as a woman of action even as she marches into the unknown. She is a true hero.***
~~~~~~~~~~

Notes:
Here's the song What I Did For Love:
Josh Groban official video on YouTube
Josh Groban lyrics from AZ Lyrics
Here's a similarly titled song, but not the one I was referring to:
Stephen Cornwell singing another version on YouTube
lyrics on that David Guetta version from AZ Lyrics

***The article, The End of Heroines, from The Book Rat blog has a very interesting take on the use of the words hero and heroine. I wrote this before coming across that article and was already using the words interchangeably, but it's definitely food for thought!

Working on a new short story

Busy, busy

Noe has been really busy writing, I'm the one who is behind! I took a detour on taxes and book work, my fault. 

You'll love this cute little short story he's done with Elizabeth Darcy and Emma Knightley as the main characters. It's even shorter than Mr Darcy and the Space-time Continuum but we've got a plan with these short stories ... it's in the works.

He's also completed another novel; that's in the editing stage too ... I need to get busy ...

Thank you for reading what noeandcindy.write !

https://www.amazon.com/author/noeandcindy.write

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Why reviews are important

Review from a friend

OK, I've gotten through chapter two and I don't believe you wrote this! Are you pullin' my leg ? ... Seriously ?  In my opinion, it's great! At this point, you have captured me. I mean the writing is great, but I am equally caught by the mere fact that I know you and can't believe you wrote this! The way you have introduced the characters, the settings and the backgrounds, I am there. In just these two chapters I was able to picture them all. I especially loved your description of how Darcy felt in those first moments on meeting the Bingleys. You really put me in his head, I could understand his feelings.  The flow is great, the characters are alive - I see them, their house, their demeanor. I picture them speaking in my head as I read, like a movie.  The pace is great, not rushed, yet we're three years ahead now and the relationships are evolving perfectly.  I am quite impressed with you, Mr Noe.

That was so sweet of our friend, quite candid too! She has gone on to finish it and still was impressed (hee-hee), but I really loved her "first impressions" of our book, Mr Darcy falls in love. It made me laugh, but it also touched my heart that she would write us what she thought about it. Without reviews, authors can't reach people who would actually like their books but just cannot decide whether or not to take a chance on them. 

A lot of authors have the support of friends and family. But some, like us, don't have family that like to read! Honestly, how do you stay informed without reading? How do you relax without a good book in your hand, at least once in awhile?

So to everyone who has given a review of any of our books, Noe and I thank you so much! We have not been given one bad review, yet we have not personally met a single person who has left an Amazon review on Mr Darcy falls in love, The Sun Also Shines for me, or Mr Darcy and the Space-time Continuum. It is tremendously encouraging, and we can't thank you enough ~
cindy

♥ We would love to hear your comments ♥

Thank you for reading what noeandcindy.write !

https://www.amazon.com/author/noeandcindy.write

Get your free Amazon Kindle apps

Mr Darcy back cover

Mr Darcy falls in love
  book's back cover

Just thought I'd put up this pic of the back of our first book ... and then I decided to play with the way it looks. 
After all, Mr. Darcy is in love and so are Noe and Cindy ♥