I am very excited to welcome Carol Cromlin, author of a newly released Pride and Prejudice prequel titled, Fitzwilliam Darcy such I was, to Austenesque Reviews today! Carol has graciously agreed to answer my burning questions about Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice and her lovely new novel!
Since you may be a relatively new author to some of my readers, Carol, how about we start off with you telling us a little bit about yourself, Carol. How long have you been writing? When did you first encounter Jane Austen?
First, I’d like to thank you for such a warm welcome. I live in the Northeast with my husband, son and dogs. I have a great appreciation for history, tradition and all things British so I guess it was inevitable that I would find my way to Jane Austen’s works. Being the sort of person who always needs to know how and why, researching and writing historical fiction draws naturally on my strengths. I’ve always loved writing, but it’s only in the past two years or so that I would really call myself an author. Before that, I wrote simply for my own enjoyment.
My introduction to Jane Austen was the 1980’s BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice with David Rintoul and Elizabeth Garvie. That was all it took! Next day I was off to the library in search of the novel and it’s been Austen and more Austen ever since.
I can relate, Carol! I found Jane Austen through the 1940’s film version of Pride and Prejudice. Now let’s talk a little about your debut novel, Fitzwilliam Darcy such I was. Rather than write the story of what happened after the close of Pride and Prejudice, you share with us what happened before. What inspired you to tell the story of Darcy’s childhood, youth, and young adulthood? What aspects of his childhood struck you as most important to illustrate 
and create?
I can safely say that of all the leading men Jane Austen created, Fitzwilliam Darcy is by far the most charismatic. In my opinion, the primary reason for his allure is that his character is so multifaceted. That makes him mysterious and exciting.
I was inspired to tell the story of Mr. Darcy’s life before Elizabeth because I have often wondered how someone like him could have come to be the man Austen wrote of. A person’s character develops as the result of his or her life experiences so in order to understand Mr. Darcy, one has to know what his life would have been before he stepped into Pride and Prejudice. I thought it was critical to show how from the second a landed Georgian gentleman was born, he was destined for great expectations and tremendous responsibility. As he grew and matured, he was constantly being groomed for the role he would play; he was taught of all he would control and he was expected to understand and appreciate the importance of his position. At the same time, he was given the freedom to experience, and hopefully learn, on his own. In Fitzwilliam Darcy such I was, I have imagined the events throughout Darcy’s first eight and twenty years that would have been key to the development of his character.
How fun was it to be in Mr. Darcy’s head and explore his psyche! In Fitzwilliam Darcy such I was, readers are able to take a closer look at Darcy’s relationships with his father, mother, sister, cousins, and friends. I particularly enjoyed your portrayal of Darcy’s relationship with Georgiana and with Charles Bingley. Both of these relationships had difficult beginnings and went through some interesting developments. What were the challenges you faced when creating the backstory for these relationships? What is your favorite relationship in Fitzwilliam Darcy such I was?
Lol. Meredith, you have a keen sense for honing in on the areas that require excessive amounts of forethought. Jane Austen makes it very clear that Darcy had incredibly strong relationships with both his sister and Bingley, yet their life experiences would have been much different from his. What could they possibly have had in common to account for such close bonds? In Georgiana’s case, her girl’s upbringing would have been vastly different from her brother’s; besides, she wastwelve years youngerthan he. While he might naturally have loved her, cared for her, what could have made him feel so close to her? The challenge lay in finding a plausible explanation, within the context of the facts Austen gave us.
Bingley, as the son of a man in trade would have been brought up in a way that bore little resemblance to Darcy’s upbringing. Setting aside the probability that they had both been taught good principles and good manners, their life experiences would likely have been completely divergent. There was a difference of about six years between them; and many miles of difficult road separating them. Another challenging issue was to logically explain why (as Austen showed us) Bingley felt so strong a need to depend on Darcy’s judgement.
Assuming they did somehow meet and become friends, a friendship that flourished and remained as strong as theirs, had to benefit both parties, but what could Darcy, who seemingly had everything, gain from Bingley? Theirs is a relationship that could not have developed into what it was, if not for an extraordinary set of circumstances. Imagining a plausible explanation of how it came about was definitely the greatest challenge I faced in writing this story. I had to discard many possible scenarios because in each case, something just didn’t fit.
The Wickham relationship was challenging for a different reason. Austen told us they began as childhood friends, so when and how did such bitter animosity spring up between them? Living on the same estate, they would have seen much of each other over the years so I opted for presenting a gradual development of tension brought on by situations and events during their childhood, adolescence, while up at university and after that strained their relationship.
My favourite relationship in Fitzwilliam Darcy such I was, is Darcy’s relationship with his cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, or Rennie, as I have named him since Austen never gave him a first name.
Here too is someone whose personality was very different from Darcy’s, yet they got on very well together. As the story line of Fitzwilliam Darcy such I was developed, so too did Rennie’s character. Some of my favorite scenes in the book include Rennie.
Oh yes, I loved the brotherly camaraderie between Rennie and Fitzwilliam! Their bond is quite strong. Now…I couldn’t help but notice that on your website it says “Jane Austen’s Men” under your name. Are there other books you are planning to write??? What is next for you?
Jane Austen always wrote the heroine’s story but she created heroes whose own stories fairly cry out to be told. Fitzwilliam Darcy such I was is the first in a series that will include a story of Captain Wentworth (Persuasion) and one of Colonel Brandon (Sense and Sensibility) but my second book will be a Colonel Fitzwilliam story for here would be my opportunity to give Rennie greater voice.
Woot woot! So happy to hear about your future projects – they sound wonderful! Captain Wentworth, Colonel Brandon, and Colonel Fitziwilliam… *sigh* How about we switch it up with some Quickfire Questions now:
– What is one of your favorite scenes in Pride and Prejudice?
There are many, but probably my most favorite is the playful exchange between the newly engaged Lizzie and Darcy where she begins by asking how he fell in love with her. Their easy conversation is such a window into their inner thoughts and personalities. It is from that conversation that I began to gather clues to unravel the mystery of who Mr. Darcy really was.
– What is one of your favorite scenes from Fitzwilliam Darcy such I was?
My most favorite, is the scene between Darcy and Georgiana when Darcy arrives at Ramsgate. Writing it was surreal because I could barely type fast enough to keep up with their conversation.
– What Jane Austen character do you feel you have the most in common with?
Of course I want to say I am like Elizabeth but strangely enough, I think the reason it was easy for me to understand Mr. Darcy’s character is because, like him, I tend naturally to be serious, reflective and reticent.
– What do you think is worse: being married to Mr. Collins or having Lady Catherine for a mother?
Great heavens; what awful choices! Definitely being married to Mr. Collins would have been worse because that would have been for life; divorce was a rare occurrence and it was not an option for a woman. The fault was invariably considered to be the woman’s, so a divorced woman would have lived in shame for the rest of her life.
If Lady Catherine were your mother you could hope to marry (with any luck, not someone like Mr. Collins) and establish a home of your own. You would also have a second option of securing a position as a nanny, so trying as it would have been there would have been possible avenues of escape.
– What do you love most about Mr. Darcy?
Once you gained his good opinion, he was your true friend for life. Despite his lofty position in society, he cared deeply for those in whom he saw value and he was quick to offer his assistance so you could trust and rely on him for anything.
– What is something that baffles you about Mr. Darcy?
Something that did baffle me at first was why he did nothing to correct people’s initial misconceptions of him. I have since come to realize that although in some respects he was not so self-assured (e.g. reticence among strangers) his stature in society insulated him and he was convinced of the “rightness” of his actions so he cared not whether people approved of them.
– What do you love most about Jane Austen’s novels?
Jane Austen addressed aspects of the human experience that are timeless, making her writing as relevant today as it was two centuries ago. She also wrote so well than you can read her works over and over and still enjoy and appreciate them.
– What is your “truth universally acknowledged?”
It is a truth universally acknowledged that no novel will ever have a better opening line than Pride and Prejudice.
Haha! Very true! Thank you, Carol, for stopping by Austenesque Reviews!! It was such a delight to learn more about you and share our interview with my readers!! All the best with your future release!!
GIVEAWAY TIME!!!
Carol generously brings with her TWO autographed copies of her new release Fitzwilliam Darcy such I was for me to give away to TWO lucky readers. (Choice of autographed paperback or ebook for residents in the US, CA, and UK, ebook only for all other countries.)
To enter this giveaway, leave a comment, question, or some love for Carol!
- This giveaway is open worldwide (with some shipping restrictions). Thank you, Carol!
- This giveaway ends September 26th!
Thank you for the wonderful giveaway! I completely agree with you – Mr. Darcy is by far Austen’s most charismatic character, largely because he takes time to understand. Can’t wait to read this on a cold winter’s night!!
Snow outside, wood burning in the hearth and Darcy. Happy thought indeed. Thanks for entering.
This sounds wonderful! So intriguing to write about him before P&P. I may not wait for the giveaway, I may just buy it now! Great cover too! I especially like how you explained why you like Darcy. Sounds like my thoughts exactly. My favorite answer was why does he baffle you. Thanks for the giveaway!
Jeanna
Isn’t it great how Janeites are so like-minded? Thanks for your comments and for entering.
I’m excited to read this one, and I don’t tend to get in to prequels so much, so thank you for the interview. This one sounds like a very thoughtful exploration of Darcy’s character. I like the idea of learning about Darcy’s past through an original story, but staying within the context of the facts Austen gives us.
I’d rather have Lady Catherine for a mother than be married to Mr. Collins, too! At least with Lady Catherine there’s some small hope of escape . . .
Thanks for offering a giveaway!
I can assure you, I was as determined to stay true to Austen’s “facts” as to historical accuracy. There were times when my story began naturally to go off in its own direction and I had to steer it back on course.
Thanks for introducing me to a new author, more Colonel Fitzwilliam – wonderful
You can never have enough of a charming man in uniform, right?
Thanks for the delightful interview, ladies. I like reading and exploring the thoughts on how Mr Darcy becomes who he is before he was introduced in P&P. The book sounds like my kind of read so I’ll be adding it to my ever growing list of TBR pile.
My P&P fascination started with the BBC version with Colin and Jennifer. I had read P&P but fell in love with the movie and EVERYTHING Austen after that. I even had a chance to meet Jennifer when she was doing a show in NYC. I have since expanded my JAFF to take over an entire bookcase! Can’t stop and I don’t want too! Always looking forward to something new to read!
That’s awesome that you met Jennifer Ehle! Yes! It is an addiction and we don’t want a cure!
I’m so fascinated by this idea. There don’t seem to be many Darcy prequels out there and this book is definitely at the top of my wishlist. It’s also exciting that you’ll be writing books about other Austen men, too! 🙂 It’s fun to contemplate what makes them tick.
Lovely interview, ladies, and thanks for the giveaway!
Even though I love Darcy I think I am most excited about the prospect of the other Austen men getting some attention!
I have always respected Darcy’s devotion and loyalty to his sister and friends. His loyalty and integrity are an example for all to live by. Thank you for your giveaway as the book sounds fascinating for us to learn how this man was formed to become Austen’s beloved Darcy.
Sounds like a great story! Would love to get the book! Thank you!
Well I don’t need to enter the giveaway for this one, because I was already lucky enough to win one! It arrived yesterday, and it is beautiful! I’d always wondered how Darcy and Bingley become friends, because not only do they have different backgrounds but there is a bit of an age gap too. I really look forward to seeing the reason put forward in this book. I’ve read so few prequels too, so that will be interesting.
I loved the reason Carol gives for Bingley and Darcy’s unlikely friendship – it is very fitting!
Hi Ceri:
Glad you received the book so quickly. I hope you enjoy it.
Thank you, I hope so too! I didn’t have a way to contact you to thank you for sending it, and for signing it too, or I would have 🙂
I love that the book addresses what came before because I’ve always been curious about that too. I’m always eager when I discover that Col. Fitz gets some major page time and then his own story. Persuasion is my favorite so I’ll definitely be primed for that story. Thanks for sharing the interview and for the giveaway opportunity.
You might be interested to know that while I intended from the start to include stories of Captain Wentworth and Colonel Brandon, the idea of a Rennie story developed during the writing of such I was. Col. Fitz’ personality developed to the point where he could easily have taken over the book – had he not the grace to hold himself back. lol. It reached the point where my husband and I now go round quoting him to each other!
I am so glad that you are going to be writing about “Rennie” because he is my favorite minor character in Austen’s works. There is so much that you can do with him I think. I’ve seen good reviews for this book, can’t wait to see how Darcy and Wickham have there falling out so to speak.
Thanks for the giveaway!!!
Yes, writing about Rennie is enjoyable. Since he is a minor character in P&P, it gives more leeway to take the story wherever he leads you.
Thanks for sharing with us today as well as for the great giveaway! I am adding your book to my TBR list and am looking forward to reading it. I hope you have a great day!
crystal_dark[at]att[dot]net
Dear Meredith and Carol,
Thank you for the wonderful interview. I look forward to reading this new book. Like many, Mr. Darcy is my favorite JA male character. I love that you have written a prequel as I too want to know more about Mr. Darcy’s early life, Thanks, Leslie
Thank you for the great opportunity! I like too “Rennie” and I can’t wait to see your next book! All my best wishes!
“It is a truth universally acknowledged that no novel will ever have a better opening line than Pride and Prejudice.” this is just so true. Now, if I ever managed to stop quoting it to EVERYONE, maybe they would start loving it too 😛
ok, the comment decided to post itself before it was done! Just wanted to say that I love Col. Fitzwilliam so much, I can’t wait to read your next book! Thanks for giving him so much attention, he never receives enough, the poor guy 🙂
I agree, Pride and Prejudice does have the best opening line ever! What a great interview, thanks for the chance to win this book, it sounds wonderful!
Wonderful interview. I can’t wait to read the book.
Hi! Thank you for this interview! I can’t wait to read about Darcy’s relationship with Bingley (and the novel about Captain Wentworth , too!). Hugs from Italy 🙂
this book sounds great…going on my tbr list…..look forward to your tale of col Fitzwilliam…he is one of my favorites too..
This wonderful lnterview captivated my interest. Thanks for this lovely giveaway.
Always happy to welcome a new author to the world of Jane Austen! This sounds like a very interesting prequel and I look forward to reading it soon.
This sounds wonderful! Another one to add to my to-read shelf! Anything about Darcy (the best literary character in all of literature!) is something I will want to read!
I wonder if this will be the first giveaway I win 😀 I do hope so! I am glad the paperback versions can be sent to the UK as well, as many giveaway’s I try and enter won’t ship to me here in the UK 🙁
Can’t wait! 😀
I have always been curious as to how the Darcy/Bingley relationship withstood Caroline’s obivious plans to be mistress of Pemberley. This book sounds fun!
Sounds interesting! Good luck with your new release.
I really enjoyed the interview and thank you for the giveaway. I would love a
signed copy of this book, which is a
definite to-read for me!
Even if I didn’t love everything about the UK, I would have thought it right to include Jane Austen’s home in the giveaway. 🙂
I do love living in Jane Austen’s homeland! Thanks again 🙂 Fingers crossed!
I’m intrigued and would definitely be interested in having a read at this.. Can’t wait 🙂
Hi. The book sounds amazing! Would love to win it as Darcy is my all time favorite male character! 🙂
When one writes of the character Darcy could his lack of defense of public opinion have been caused by an inate shyness? My husband seems convinced this is so – to the point that expects this leads to his social ineptness.
Genean, I fully agree with your husband. It is very difficult to overcome shyness and my story includes elements of Darcy’s upbringing that would have done little to coax him out of a natural propensity to be shy. In fact, the first question on the “Discussion” page of my website (www.carolcromlin.com) was written with this possibility in mind.
You’re book sounds awesome, and it was so nice of you to give a couple of copies away! I can’t wait to read the book, even if I don’t win. I love Jane Austen, so I love when really great authors write sequels or spin-offs of any kind.
First off, congrats on the new book! I’ve read some great reviews and am looking forward to reading it at some point, especially since it sounds like there is a strong Darcy-Col. Fitzwilliam relationship, one of my favorite characters to see more of.
Thanks for the giveway chance! And sending love for a successful launch!
Thank you so much for the kind wishes.
Very interested to see how you fleshed out Darcy’s relationship with Bingley. Their’s always interested me. Glad to hear you worked within the parameters set by Jane.
Can’t wait to read!
How exciting! Always wonderful to find another ‘Austen-inspired’ read!
I always love new stories about my dear Mr. Darcy 🙂 Thank you Carol and Meredith for this giveaway.
This sounds quite good. I especially look forward to more Colonel Fitzwilliam!
I can’t wait to read this story! Thank you for sharing your creativity with all us P&P fans.
Looking forward to reading this! I’ll be interested to see what your vision is for Darcy!
This sounds like a fabulous read! Thanks, Carol and Meredith, for the chance to enter the giveaway!