Monica Fairview, Author

Was so upset at the idea that we had reached the last-ever Spooks episode that I actually relinquished my Sunday evening date with Downton Abbey to watch Spooks instead. Imagine that! Those of you who know me are probably quite surprised at this  since I'm not at all into spy films, and generally don't go for the James Bond type action drama if I can choose something else. Yet the end (and ending) of Spooks left me heartbroken. Even the much-awaited (re)appearance of Matthew Macfadyen as Quinn failed to compensate for the fact that it was all over. The only consolation is that since I didn't see the first four seasons, which I am told were the best, I will now be watching the whole thing from the beginning on DVD. That way I will get the opportunity to relish the wonderful cast -- and period drama favorites -- that take turns to play MI5 agents.  Apart from Matthew Macfadyen, I'm looking forward to seeing  Rupert Penry-Jones and Richard Armitage (although I did see ...

It’s finally happening! Tomorrow is the official launch of Jane Austen Made Me Do It! “Nothing Less Than Fairy-land,” by Monica Fairview In this gently humorous story inspired by Jane Austen’s novel Emma , the day has come for Mr. Knightley to move into Hartfield, but Mr. Woodhouse is still not reconciled to the marriage. Trouble looms on the horizon, unless Emma can quickly come up with a way to convince her papa to accept Mr. Knightley’s presence.

Sometimes a visit to a park can have unexpected consequences. So imagine my surprise when I went to an Apple Day at Morden Hall Park and – quite literally – bumped into an exceedingly fashionable young gentleman! My mind reeled as I tried to work out if he was real or the ghost of Mr.Gilliat Hatfeild, owner of the Park in the 1800s. Then my young daughter shouted out “Mr. Darcy! Take a picture, quick!” and I am happy to say I obeyed. Morden Hall does have an intriguing history. It’s a National Trust property that used to be a former snuff mill, complete with waterwheel, picturesque canals and a mulberry tree that reportedly was planted by Huguenots.   I won’t go into it now, but I promise a future episode on this lovely historical park. Isn't he a handsome specimen? It just shows. You never know when (or where) you could run into your Mr. Darcy!