Dear Readers, it is once again an esteemed privilege of mine to welcome one of my favorite Austenesque authors to Austenesque Reviews. Kara, I am thrilled that you are here to celebrate your second new release. Only Mr. Darcy Will Do (Something Like Regret) was a beautiful story and I’m looking forward to asking you some questions about it!

Thanks for inviting me back, Meredith! What great fun it is to be here! Your questions are great, so let me get right to them!

In our first interview, you talked about writing, your family’s genealogy, and how you became a writer. My question now is, what prompted you to become an Austenesque writer? What is it that made you pick up your pen and write about Jane Austen characters?

I would have to say that it was the same thing that inspired me to begin writing about my genealogy – the story of Pride and Prejudice captured me. Granted, I only have 3 chapters of my genealogy story written, so perhaps that is an indication that P&P tugged a little more at my heart. I fell in love with Jane Austen’s story and the characters, but I have to confess that if others hadn’t gone before me, started websites to post stories, and written stories themselves that I could read, I don’t know if I would have written anything at all. Reading other stories gave me that final push!

In addition, we learned that the 1995 film adaption of Pride and Prejudice introduced you to the world of Jane Austen. Is it your favorite Jane Austen movie? What are some of your favorite Jane Austen movies and adaptions? Which Jane Austen novel do you think needs to be featured in a new film adaption?

I love the ’95 version because it is so complete and very accurate. It’s not perfect, but almost. I also love the Ciaran Hinds/Amanda Root version of Persuasion. I only wish it could have been a little longer. I also have enjoyed most of the Emma films made, but actually enjoyed the most recent one showed on Masterpiece Theater a couple years ago the best. I think the Emma Thompson Sense and Sensibility is great, but as with most movies, it is too short to do the story justice. I think the Austen adaptations all need at least a 4 hour format. I think I would like to see them do another good Persuasion. I wasn’t particularly fond of the last one (done for Masterpiece Theater), even though it was a lengthy one.

Let’s talk about your lovely new release! What was your inspiration behind Only Mr. Darcy Will Do?

Having already written several variations, it was natural for me to question what would have happened to the Bennet ladies if Mr. Bennet had died. That fear that Mrs. Bennet has and her dislike for (and lack of understanding about) the entail seemed a natural digression to explore. I actually started this story back in 2003, but put it aside when I came up with my modern story, Drive and Determination. I wasn’t sure where I was going with the story (then titled Something Like Regret) until I went back to it in 2008 to finish it up.

As I mentioned in my review, I found Elizabeth’s character and situation a little reminiscent of Jane Eyre. Were Jane and Mr. Rochester on your mind while writing this novel or were the similarities unintentional?

What was it like writing about Elizabeth as a governess? Jane Austen doesn’t really include a lot about governesses in her novels. Which aspects of a governess’s life did you feel were important to include in this novel?

In portraying Elizabeth as a governess, I had to get the right balance of her personality (her independent spirit and liveliness) and the melancholy of having lost her father and being suddenly in lower circumstances. I chose to give Elizabeth a good family to work for, in that they were mindful of her upbringing and treated her with respect. But when they go to Pemberley, suddenly the Willstones begin putting limits on what Elizabeth can and cannot do. They believe Mr. Darcy is pursuing Mrs. Willstone’s sister, Rosalyn, and they don’t want him to put off by anything Elizabeth might do that he perceives as improper for a governess. The one point I did wish to make was to show that a governess was in a station pretty much to herself, as she was lower than the family she worked for, but higher than the servants. She often found herself with no one close to her. The story begins with Elizabeth being on good terms with the family, but at Pemberley she realizes to an even greater degree just how much beneath them they perceive her to be.

In both Darcy’s Voyage and Only Mr. Darcy Will Do Elizabeth seems to do a lot of nursing. Just like she did in Pride and Prejudice for her sister Jane, Elizabeth is often on hand to care for those with injury and comfort those who are unwell. What prompted you to accentuate this caring and nurturing disposition of hers? If Elizabeth Bennet lived in our times, do you think she would make a good nurse?

I think its part of Elizabeth’s nature to care for others. I wanted that to be something that stood out to Darcy, as opposed to Rosalyn wanting nothing to do with those who needed Darcy’s help. I don’t think Elizabeth would have been a nurse – I think she likely would have been a doctor.

I adored and took much pleasure one of your new creations, little Emily Willstone! Elizabeth’s situation as a governess is very favorable with such a sweet and well-behaved child. What was your inspiration for Emily’s character?

I have read many stories where both the family and the child are rather rude and disrespectful to the governess, but I wanted the Willstones to be different. Obviously when they begin to see how Darcy and Elizabeth interact at Pemberley, they become a little more strict with her. I wanted to portray Emily as having a little bit of discernment about people and things, much like a young Elizabeth might have had.

In Only Mr. Darcy Will Do Elizabeth has what she feels to be REAL competition for Mr. Darcy’s attention and affection. Although there was Caroline Bingley and Anne de Bourgh in Pride and Prejudice, they didn’t really cause Elizabeth any consternation. Can you tell us a little bit about your creation of Rosalyn Matthews? What was your motivation behind her character?

I wanted Rosalyn to be someone who became a good friend to Elizabeth when they first meet. They have some of the same interests in literature and have lively conversations. But it’s when Rosalyn begins to sense there is something more between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth – rather than with her – that her personality changes drastically. She becomes what Caroline Bingley became, hinting that perhaps Caroline had once been kind and considerate before she decided ‘only Mr. Darcy would do’ – for her! I think Elizabeth comes to realize that Rosalyn is not right for Mr. Darcy and hopes that he will see that, too.

One my favorite questions to ask authors is about their favorite scenes. What is your favorite scene from Only Mr. Darcy Will Do, Kara? Which scene did you have the most fun with?

I loved the chess match between Elizabeth and Darcy. In fact, I wrote it several chapters before it took place. I don’t play chess at all, and I consider it a game for those of keen minds, which I think Elizabeth had. The one thing that became very exciting for me was when I was reading up on chess (to make sure I had my game playing facts correct), and found that there was a play where a pawn becomes a queen. I knew I had to use that and have Darcy ‘hint’ that even though Elizabeth was quite a bit lower than him, she could also become a queen. Of course, Elizabeth is not quite sure that is what he means when he says that. Hopefully the reader will.

The chess scene was one of my favorites too!  I thought it was brilliant how they try to speak private feelings under the subtext of explaining how to play chess!  In our last interview I asked you about some of the complications you faced in writing Darcy’s Voyage and the challenges of merging it with Jane Austen’s original plot. I’d like to ask you that same question now in reference to Only Mr. Darcy Will Do. Was this novel more challenging compared to Darcy’s Voyage or less?

I think Only Mr. Darcy Will Do was not as much of a challenge, because in Darcy’s Voyage I had a complete story to write. In OMDWD I begin the book a year after Rosings, so all of Elizabeth and Darcy’s past is behind them and already written (in P&P). While pretty much the rest of the story changes, I don’t think it was as difficult because I didn’t have to address too many of the same issues. I do address Charles and Jane, Lydia and Wickham, and a confrontation by Lady Catherine, but other than those, there weren’t too many similarities.

Out of the six novels you wrote and self-published, only one of them is a modern adaption. Can you tell us a little about Drive and Determination? Do you see yourself writing more modern adaptions in the future?

As I mentioned earlier, I put aside Something Like Regret to write Drive and Determination. I didn’t even really read modern adaptations, so it came as a surprise to me when the story came to me. I was standing under an alcove in Guatemala taking shelter from a sudden downpour when the idea for that story came to me. I was not originally going to make it a Jane Austen modern because of some of the things that happen in it that are totally different, but as I wrote it and I put in several ‘similar’ events, I decided to go ahead and make it what I call ‘a Jane Austen inspired modern story.’ I don’t have any other Austen moderns in mind.

Your very first Austenesque novel is Assumed Engagement, correct? I understand you are waiting to hear if Sourcebooks wants to pick it up (*crossing fingers*). Can you tell us a little about Assumed Engagment? Is it a retelling or variation?

Sounds fantastic!  I definitely want to read this one!  I’ve heard that after Pride and Prejudice, Persuasion is your second favorite novel by Jane Austen. Do you ever think of penning an Austenesque novel about the characters from Persuasion? Any ideas you want to share?

I love that idea!!!  Please keep us posted!  Thank you so much for coming to visit Austenesque Reviews, Kara!  It was a pleasure to have you here!  I wish you the best of luck with your new release of Only Mr. Darcy Will Do and the publication of your other novels!

These were meaty questions! Thanks for asking them and inviting me here!

 

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!  Thanks to Beth Pehlke of Sourcebooks, Austenesque Reviews has ONE lovely copy of Only Mr. Darcy Will Do to give away to you wonderful readers! (US and Canada only)

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