So happy to welcome back author, Monica Fairview to Austenesque Reviews today! It was only a few short months ago that Monica was here celebrating her splenderous steampunk novel, Steampunk Darcy! No one can accuse Monica of resting on her laurels though, for here she is not much more than six months later releasing another Austenesque novel! This one doesn’t look like it has automatons or dirigibles though… 😉 Welcome, Monica! How lovely of you to visit!
Thank you so much, Meredith, for allowing me to appear once again on your wonderful blog. I feel in very good company with the famous Mr. Bingley (I am particularly fond of Mr. Bingley in a bonnet). I feel so much at home here, since I was one of Meredith’s first guests, way back when Austenesque Reviews first started.
I’m here to talk a little bit about my high-perch phaeton ride towards writing Mr. Darcy’s Pledge. But before I get started, I’d just like to clarify that, while Mr. Darcy’s Pledge is my most traditional P&P novel to date, you still can’t take it too seriously, because, like Lydia Bennet, I do like a laugh.
(Did I really just compare myself to that brat?)
At this point, you may well ask – why a high-perch phaeton in particular? 
The answer is, because I feel that my journey into the world of Jane Austen has been a bit of a precarious escapade. I kind of fell (or rode, to keep up the same metaphor) into writing P&P sequels without giving any thought to why I was writing them. I went along for the ride. Yes, I loved Colin Firth in a wet shirt. Yes, Matthew Macfadyen’s green-blue eyes melted my heart even when someone was pouring buckets of rain on him. Yes, I’d practically memorized the novel itself. But I wrote The Other Mr. Darcy for different reasons than you’d expect.
The fact is, when I first had the impulse to write an Austenesque novel, I did it because I wanted to imagine how Caroline Bingley would react when she lost Darcy. I projected myself into her situation and imagined how I would feel if that had happened to me, because, after all, don’t we all want to capture Darcy and keep him for ourselves? Being the kind of writer I am, though, I didn’t dwell on her heartbreak. Instead, I threw her into the path of a rather playful American Darcy and derived a great deal of amusement seeing how she reacted to that.
Three books later, with some of my more wild writing impulses channelled out of my system in Steampunk Darcy, I’m driving more steadily for the long haul. As I participated in the group project The Darcy Brothers (which I enjoyed writing tremendously) I suddenly realized that I’d been circling around Darcy rather than actually writing about him. I was avoiding dealing with him directly, as if I’d put him on some kind of pedestal and didn’t want to approach him. I was hesitating to actually write about the actual hero!
Light bulb moment! Mr. Darcy’s Pledge was born.
Just as I asked myself earlier how Caroline felt when she was rejected, I asked the same thing about Darcy, and I found myself eager to find out what he’d do about it.
Well, this is a variation, so he wasn’t going to do exactly what he did in P&P. To my mind, Darcy isn’t used to rejection. The very idea of being rejected by any sensible woman is pretty alien to him. Really, let’s be honest about it. How many women would pass up the chance to marry Mr. Darcy?
I decided Darcy would act the way so many people do when a romantic relationship breaks up. He’ll look for someone else on the rebound, which is really the most unwise and irrational thing to do. However, in Darcy’s case, he’s decided to take a wife and he’s determined to be completely sensible about it.
That, in a nutshell, is the premise behind Mr. Darcy’s Pledge. If you’re curious to find out who Mr. Darcy picks to marry, I’d be happy to stop the high-perch phaeton for a moment and take you with me on-board, though it may be a bit of a squeeze. Still, the more the merrier! 
To buy or read an excerpt from Mr. Darcy’s Pledge please click HERE.
Thank you, Monica, for such a lovely post and invitation! I’d be happy to join you in your high-perch phaeton! If you will just give me a minute, I’ll just go grab my bonnet and spencer… 😉
~~~
GIVEAWAY TIME!!!
Monica kindly brings with her TWO beautiful copies of Mr. Darcy’s Pledge (one paperback and one kindle copy) for me to give away to TWO lucky readers. Woot Woot!
To enter this giveaway, leave a comment, question, or some love for Monica!
- The ebook giveaway is open worldwide, the paperback giveaway is open to US and UK residents. Thank you, Monica!
- This giveaway ends May 16th!
- Receive 1 extra entry for retweeting Monica’s tweet about this giveaway @Monica_Fairview
- Receive 1 extra entry for sharing or mentioning this post on Facebook
- Be sure to let us know in your comment if you are eligible for any extra entries!
I have the Ebook and am planning om reading it soon, as I am behind in my reading. Question for Monica…which is your favorite Darcy, Colin Firth or Matthew McFadyen & why?
I like the 1995 version better because it’s longer and provides more detail, and I like Ehle as Lizzy. She has a mischievous look and twinkling eyes. I love Colin Firth’s smouldering looks, too.
I didn’t like P&P2005 at first because it seemed too grubby, Lizzy seemed too flightly and Matthew — too angsty. Who can resist Matthew, though? I think of them as two different Darcys, one more modern and down-to-earth (and lets face it, more human) and one exemplifying aristocratic haughteur. I think for physical frisson — those moments of fingers touching fingers — Matthew McFadyen. For smouldering, Colin Firth.
Both gentlemen cause “such flutterings all over me.. such beatings in my heart”! Oh, where are my smelling salts?
Thank you, Monica and Meredith for this post! I really enjoyed the hints about Mr Darcy’s pledge, Monica, as well as you sharing the thoughts behind writing it. Darcy on the rebound makes for a roller-coaster story which I would dearly love to read! So I’m quickly jumping on the bandwagon in the hope of winning a copy, and I’ll rush off to tweet and share, because this is just too good to miss, and the cover is stunning! Thanks for the giveaway and the opportunity to hear about this lovely story!
Shared and tweeted & fingers crossed 😀
Thank you, Joana, as always, for your comments and support! It is very much appreciated.
Be careful with that step up into the phaeton — it isn’t as steady as it should be. Are you all the way in. Good! Let’s continue on the journey!
What a fun little phaeton ride this is!! So happy you joined us, Joana!
It’s a pleasure, as always, Meredith!
🙂
Oh dear marrying on the rebound, who would he pick.
Have you watched the 1980 mini series of Pride and Prejudice (my favourite)?
shared on FB – https://www.facebook.com/vespermeikle/posts/1398087260475663
meikleblog at gmail dot com
You know, Vesper, I really should go and watch it again because it’s been a while. Thanks for all your shares and tweets the last few days.
Looks like an interesting read! Sharing on Facebook. 🙂
Thanks, Erin!! Good to “see” you.
Sounds like a winner! I, too, want to get in Darcy’s head to see how he felt about such rejection : )
Ginger — what a great name. Thank you for stopping by and commenting.
An American Darcy? I’ll have to go looking for that. Looking forward to reading ‘pledge’. Sign me up for the ebook contest; I’m not in the US or the UK.
It’s available on Amazon almost everywhere. Shouldn’t be hard to find. Let me know what you think. Meanwhile, thank you for stopping by to read my post!
Oh yes!!! Robert Darcy is from America and quite a bit different from his reserved English cousin! Loved The Other Mr. Darcy! Definitely recommend!
This sounds fun! I worry for Elizabetth that he has decided to marry sensibly….please not Caroline.
As for the 1995 vs 2005 versions I too prefer Ehle because of her sparkiing eyes. It took me a long time to appreciate the 2005 version and then it was mainly because it brought dear Jane to another generation of readers.
Thank you, Theresa! I agree with you about the 2005 version. I think it was amazingly successful in showing us that JA is still relevant to us. I think it’s brilliant in showing the Bennett sisters as teenagers. P&P95 has a more mature Lizzy — but I think what was good in P&P 2005 was the reminder that this was a household of five boisterous young ladies — mostly teenagers.
I have this on my wish list. Shared on Facebook thank you for the giveaway.
Thanks for the shares, Tresha. Good luck with the draw.
I love your American Darcy. I enjoyed it immensely, but I also enjoy “secondary character” books. This book is on my TBR but I haven’t purchased it yet so if you’ll add me to the actual book drawing (as I don’t own a Kindle, I have a Nook), I would appreciate it. This premise is so very Darcy and I look forward to seeing whom he chooses. I like that you dearly love to laugh and add some of that in your books, it keeps the conflicts from strangling me. LOL
Stephanie — so glad to hear you’ve read The Other Mr. Darcy! Thank you for your kind words. I’ll bear in mind the Kindle issue though I’m hoping the Nook version will be up and running very soon.
I’m curious to find out who this mystery woman is! I like that we don’t know. 🙂
Darcy will have a very difficult time finding a replacement for Elizabeth. I can’t wait to see what you do with this. I will back happy to come along. Congratulations!
Ps I Shared and Tweeted.
Thanks for your support, BeckyC!
Yay! The more the merrier! 🙂
Your book sounds wonderful. I will look forward to reading it.
I retweated your tweet as well.
Becky
Thank you. Good luck with the draw!
Am so looking forward to reading your book…sounds wonderful! Thank you for
the givesway.
Lady Susan — I am honored you paid us a visit. Thank you for leaving your calling card
This story sounds so heartbreaking! How can anyone marry without love and share their life with a person who will never be their soul mate? I couldn’t do that! I hope everything will be fine for our dear Darcy and Elizabeth 🙂 Thank you, Monica, for the chance to win a copy. I’m not on Facebook or on Twitter.
I agree, Maria, it would be horrible to marry someone you don’t love, but that was the nature of aristocratic marriages. They didn’t have the luxury of randomly choosing just anyone. It was often a business transaction, kind of like a company takeover, with the gentleman taking over the lady’s property. It would have been normal for Darcy to do that.
I personally like Matthew better…but perhaps that is because I saw him as Darcy, before I saw Colin Firth. I do find the 1995 to be more detailed but I find Matthew more romantic. Although if I had seen Colin as Darcy first I’d probably list him as my favorite (he’s a very close second).
I also have the NOOK (5 of them), not the Kindle but have the Kindle app, and so I will buy it for the Kindle because usually I’m too imoatient to wait for its release on Nook and then I invariably bu it for the NOOK because I feel guilty not buying it from the bookstore (B & N). Sounds dumb, doesn’t it?
Not at all, Deborah. Clearly you are very loyal to NOOK if you have so many!! However, it’s ever so tempting to pick up a book on the Kindle app. (especially on a smart phone) especially if you’ve been waiting for it and it has only come out on Kindle.
I enjoyed getting Monica’s journey to writing Mr. Darcy’s Pledge. It’s always enlightening to discover the why behind a book. Looking forward to it.
Please do not put me in for the giveaway, thanks!
Thank you for stopping by, Sophia — now you know about my convoluted journey. Hope you enjoy Mr. Darcy’s Pledge.
What a wonderful post and giveaway. Mr. Darcy’s Pledge sounds captivating and special.
Thank you for saying so, Anne.
Can’t wait to read! Just a rebound though right? He and Elizabeth end up together in the end? Yes? Not sure I can really process a different Mrs. Darcy! YIKES!
Betsy — I like a bit of angst but not too much of it 😉
I have always enjoyed a good laugh as well Monica. Steampunk Darcy was delightful. Looking forward to the rise you trade us on in Pledge.
Wonderful that you enjoyed Steampunk Darcy, Karana! I think the Spirit of Mischief took over when I started to write that novel, but I enjoyed every moment of writing it. Mr. Darcy’s Pledge is quieter, but hopefully you’ll have a laugh as well.
I just read the excerpt of Mr Darcy’s Pledge on amazon. I’m hooked! Can’t wait to read the book! I greatly enjoyed The Other Mr Darcy. I think you were spot on with Caroline collapsing in sobs at the wedding. It was fun to watch her path to the Darcy she was meant for!
I would like to win the paperback. Thanks for the chance to win a copy.
Thank you, Catherine. Really happy to hear you enjoyed The Other Mr. Darcy! Your request for a paperback is duly noted (Meredith?)
yep! 😉
I have shared on FB – https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=676567312415958&id=591710060901684
Tweeted – https://twitter.com/Austenesque/status/463983104164507648
Erika — your shares are much appreciated.
Wow, lots of great comments today.. I’d love to read “pledge”. I wish I could guess who he picks on the rebound……hmmmm is anyone else married before then? Maybe Caroline…ugh
Suzan, I think people who get into a relationship on the rebound are seldom wise, but Darcy tries his best to pick rationally.
This premise sounds so intriguing I wonder is it anyone we know? Can you imagine if it was one of Elizabeth’s sisters but I suppose that would never happen as they dislike him and he only thinks highly of Jane and Elizabeth. I look forward to reading this, thanks for the giveaway Monica and Meredith
Thank you for entering, Tamara! I wonder that too, maybe it is an new character? The only possibilities I can think of that we know would be Anne de Bourgh or Caroline Bingley! 😉 Can’t wait to find out!
I, too, hope he chooses sensibly and doesn’t act on impulse. We will just have to wait and see.
a definite must-read added to my Wish List!!!
thank you for the giveaway!!
Your shares are very much appreciated, cyn and thank you for adding Mr. Darcy’s Pledge to your list.
shared on my FB wall: http://www.facebook.com/cyn209
I shared on fb
https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Faustenesquereviews.com%2F2014%2F05%2Fguest-post-giveaway-author-monica-fairview.html&t=Guest+Post+%2B+Giveaway+with+Author+Monica+Fairview%21%21%21
Deborah — you’re the best! thank you for all the shares and tweets!!
I tweeted
https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Guest+Post+%2B+Giveaway+with+Author+Monica+Fairview%21%21%21&url=http%3A%2F%2Faustenesquereviews.com%2F2014%2F05%2Fguest-post-giveaway-author-monica-fairview.html
Please enter me and thanks so much for the giveaway!
Amy — it’s a pleasure!
Can’t wait for the full ride in the phateon Monica! So looking forward to reading this book! It’s hard to imagine him with anyone else, but I can understand the rebound reflex! I have read both the ‘Other Mr. Darcy’ and ‘The Darcy Cousins’ and loved them both! Haven’t read ‘Steampunk Darcy’ yet…
As for my favourite Darcy, Colin Firth, and his smouldering looks…I’ll have to watch the 2005 version again soon and maybe Matthew will grow on me too. Jennifer Ehle will always be ‘the’ Elizabeth though…
We will be such a merry party in Monica’s phaeton! 🙂 So happy you are joining us!
Carole, thank you so much for your kind words. I do believe we will make up an excellent party! Pray be careful with the step as you mount. Someone may have tampered with it… Hold on tight to the gentleman’s hand… 🙂
Looking forward to reading both volumes of this. My TBR/Wish list is sooo long, volume 2 might be out before I get around to buying volume 1. It’ll queue jump if I’m lucky enough to win a copy though!
Tweeted: https://twitter.com/anji_dee/status/465575460949069824
Shared on Facebook, too but can’t get the wotsit to copy.
So many good books to read — sigh! Thanks for the retweets and the shares, Anji!
The ebook is now available for NOOK! Purchased it yesterday! 😀
& so have both Kindle & NOOK copies.
So this will be interesting to read about just what he is looking for if he can’t have Elizabeth. This is on my wish list if I don’t win it as it sounds intriguing.
Delighted to hear you have it on your wishlist, Sheila!
Monica and Meredith, (M&M’s- yummy!) you make me want to give in to my self-imposed decision to wait until September and the release of book two before I read book one. Sigh! I am hoping that time passes quickly or that you have pity on your fans and shoot for an early release. Please do NOT enter me because if I had it in my hot little hands I fear the temptation would be too much. Sigh! It’s off to the store for a large bag of M&M Candy with peanuts to soothe my anxiously waiting soul. Sigh!
Trust me, girls, the second that book two is released I will have both books in my possession, will buy another bag of those little candy-covered morsels, and will remove myself from society while I devour it all. How’s that for a plan?
I cannot wait to read Mr. Darcy’s Pledge!! I am such a fan of Monica’s other books I know I will enjoy this one just as much! It sounds wonderful! Thanks for the giveaway!!:)
I also retweeted Monica’s tweet about the giveaway!!:)
It’s always lovely to connect with a fan of my other books so I’m delighted you’re here, Kelli. Thank you for the tweet and good luck!!