Interview and Giveaway: Abigail Reynolds with Mr Darcy's Obsession

Today I welcome Abigail Reynolds to my blog. Her newest book, Mr Darcy's Obsession is out now, and at the end of this interview you get a chance to win it. Since I have read it I will not say anything more than there were some surprises ;)

Welcome to Mur-y-Castell!

Tell me something about yourself, so we get a better understanding about the woman behind the author.

AR:  I’m an accidental author.  I was happily pursuing a career as a doctor and a parent when I was bitten by the writing bug.  Nothing would have happened with it if it weren’t for the internet providing an audience for my early scribblings.  Writing was a fortunate discovery for me because I have poor physical stamina from lupus, and it keeps me entertained when I need to be resting.  I live in Wisconsin, but my favorite place is Cape Cod, which is where I set my modern novel, The Man Who Loved Pride & Prejudice.

Your newest book is called Mr. Darcy’s Obsession; can you tell me what it is about?

AR:  It’s a twist on Pride and Prejudice in which Mr. Bennet dies, leaving Elizabeth and her family impoverished.  Darcy tries to forget her because she is now so far beneath him, but he can’t stay away from her.  Meantime, he is disillusioned by the amoral behavior of his extended family, especially his uncle who feels he should take Elizabeth as a mistress, and he starts to recognize the suffering of the poor around him.  Combined with his distress over Elizabeth’s reduced circumstances, he realizes that much of his pride in his position is misplaced and he can’t go on without Elizabeth.

I know that you have written a couple of other books. Could you tell me about those?

AR:  Except for my modern novel, all of them are Regency era variations on Pride and Prejudice in which change one event from P&P and see how the story plays out.  In To Conquer Mr. Darcy, Darcy decides to woo Elizabeth after her first refusal rather than let her go.  In Without Reserve, Elizabeth becomes engaged to a childhood friend for the sake of her family, and Darcy must win her back.  My favorite change is in What Would Mr. Darcy Do? In that, when Darcy comes to see Elizabeth at the Lambton Inn after her discovery of Lydia’s elopement, instead of leaving her with a long, silent look, he tells her how he feels about her. 

Now to the important question: what led you to writing Austen variations?

AR:  Desperation!  I was having a great time reading Austen-related stories on line, and one day I ran out of new ones to read.  What was there to do but to write one myself?

Are you working on something new and exciting right now?

AR:  I’m putting finishing touches on a new P&P variation, and I’ve started a sequel to Mr. Darcy’s Obsession.  I’m hoping to finally get my second modern novel out there as well!

What kinds of books do you read? Any favorite authors?

AR:  I’m a very eclectic reader.  I like romance, classics, historical fiction, fantasy, science fiction – anything that captures and holds my interest.  My favorite author this week would probably Georgette Heyer.

Any advice for aspiring writers?
AR:  Write the book that is in your heart.  Don’t try to write for the market or to catch an agent’s interest.  The book that you’re passionate about will be your best.

Some shorter ones:
Your favorite Jane Austen hero?
AR:  Mr. Darcy
Jane Austen heroine?
AR:  tie between Elizabeth Bennet and Elinor Dashwood
If you had a time-machine then to which era would you go, and what would you do?
AR:  12th century Kiev.  Bet you weren’t expecting that!  I’d love to see an early medieval culture where literacy was high and women had legal rights.  Sounds like something in a novel, doesn’t it?

B: I can honestly say that I did not expect that, but it sure sounds interesting.

Now to the Contest part: CLOSED

Thanks to Sourcebooks I got 2 copies of Mr Darcy's Obsession to give away.

1. US and Canada only.
2. Not a must, but it's always more fun if you ask a question, or comment on something :)
3. Leave your email if it's not in your profile (or just email it to me)
4. Have fun.
5. Ends October 18th

MR. DARCY’S OBSESSION BY ABIGAIL REYNOLDS—IN STORES OCTOBER 2010
The more he tries to stay away from her, the more his obsession grows...
“[Reynolds] has creatively blended a classic love story with a saucy romance novel.” —Austenprose
“Developed so well that it made the age-old storyline new and fresh…Her writing gripped my attention and did not let go.”—The Romance Studio
“The style and wit of Ms. Austen are compellingly replicated…spellbinding. Kudos to Ms. Reynolds!” —A Reader’s Respite

In this Pride and Prejudice variation, Elizabeth is called away before Darcy proposes for the first time and Darcy decides to find a more suitable wife. But when Darcy encounters Elizabeth living in London after the death of her father, he can’t fight his desire to see and speak with her again…and again and again. But now that her circumstances have made her even more unsuitable, will Darcy be able to let go of all his long held pride to marry a woman who, though she is beneath his station, is the only woman capable of winning his heart?

About the Author
Abigail Reynolds is a physician and a lifelong Jane Austen enthusiast. She began writing the Pride and Prejudice Variations series in 2001, and encouragement from fellow Austen fans convinced her to continue asking “What if…?” She lives with her husband and two teenage children in Madison, Wisconsin. For more information, please visit http://www.pemberleyvariations.com/ or http://www.austenauthors.com/.


My review of the book can be found here