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DARCY AND FITZWILLIAM

("It's Absorbing, It's Intoxicating, It's Excellent" - Jane Austen's World and Jane Austen Today)

CHOSEN BY THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER (THAT'S THE CALIFORNIA ORANGE COUNTY, NOT FLORIDA I'LL HAVE YOU KNOW)

AS ONE OF SIX BOOKS THAT WOULD BE A GREAT SUMMER READ.

YEAH REALLY

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/library-304070-program-information.html?pic=1

It was five years ago and I had just viewed the 2005 Pride and Prejudice movie for the twenty-seventh time, my husband again telling me I should get off the sofa and write something. He said, "Write anything, just start and keep at it. I tell you this because I love you; also because you're starting to resemble Cartman from South Park." We've been married a long time.

So, employing some sort of hoist device we got me up and mobile again. My legs were wobbly but my mission was clear. I began to write. And what better subject could I find to write about but my favorite book and my favorite movie and my favorite mini-series, my gorgeous Darcys and my beloved Fitzwilliam.

It was intimidating to inform unsuspecting family, friends, and all the acquaintances I had ever made in my life that I had written a book, and not only written a whole book with lots and lots of pages, but that someone was crazy enough to publish it for me. I finally told my first person. "I wrote a book and it's going to be published." Friends stared at me as if I had informed them of my abduction by space aliens and safe return. "Uh-huh." After that I got bolder and more insistent. "No really. Listen to me. I wrote a book. It's going to be published." People began to walk away, then run.

My favorite reaction was from an acquaintance of my husband's. This is absolutely true and almost verbatim. We met the man at a Subway restaurant we frequent. My husband said, "Karen wrote a book.”

"Oh.  That’s real nice. What's it called?"

"Darcy and Fitzwilliam - a Tale of a Gentleman and an Officer."

"Uh-huh. Yeah.  Oh, look at the time.  Gotta go." He stood quickly, hoping to escape...er...leave.  I grabbed his arm.

"It's a sequel to Pride and Prejudice," Desperate now, I was trying to convince him, everyone, that I wasn’t crazy.

"Pride and Prejudice?  Sure.  Oh yeah, I saw the movie. Didn't like it."

I wasn't surprised. The man was a retired Chicago cop.  A tough guy.  Not one who would enjoy a chick flick.

"Yeah. They kept draggin' that cannon all over the place. Stupid movie."

I was now confused. Mrs. Bennet was a little batty, but she wasn't lethal. "Cannon?"

"Yeah. This cannon they were draggin' around. Frank Sinatra was in it, the movie I mean, not the cannon, and Sofia Loren and that other guy, Cary Grant."

"No. That wasn't 'Pride and Prejudice'. That was 'The Pride and the Passion."

"Yeah, that's what I said."

My husband signaled with his eyebrows to let it lie.

Our friend continued. "So you wrote a book? My neighbor wrote a book too. Yeah, barely made a dime out of it. I guess anyone can write a book these days."

My husband and I both blinked rapidly.

"I guess they can." I said.

My Official Darcy and Fitzwilliam Video

and Decoder Ring

Following is an excerpt from "Darcy and Fitzwilliam" and from "Georgiana's Story"  Enjoy and then leave a comment to win a copy of Darcy and Fitzwilliam.  Thanks!