Hi readers! I am very excited to welcome Bronwen Chisholm, author of a recently released Pride and Prejudice variation titled – Missing Jane (which sounds intriguing, btw!!) to Austenesque Reviews today. Missing Jane is Ms. Chisholm’s seventh release and I am very happy to have this chance to chat with her about writing, her new release, and Jane Austen!
Hi Bronwen! Thank you so much for visiting Austenesque Reviews! And since this is your very first visit to AR, why don’t we start off with you telling us a little bit about yourself. How long have you been writing? When did you first encounter Jane Austen? What were your first impressions?
Hi Meredith, thanks for having me here. I have always had an overactive imagination and let stories play out in my mind – maybe one or two were written down – but I never really thought of myself as a writer. Like most other mothers, my children were involved in sports and dance lessons, so I found myself sitting and waiting a lot. That was fine as I have always been an avid reader, but I got to a point where the stories were unsatisfying, and I decided to try to write one of my own. Funny thing, within a week of the thought entering my mind, my husband suggested the same thing.
Shortly after this, I was working with a woman half my age (I was in my early 40s) and she introduced me to the 1995 BBC Pride and Prejudice. I was hooked. Jane Austen’s wit just shines in her work (and Colin Firth wasn’t bad either). I read all six of her books within a week or two and then found the fan fiction. Being a bit of history geek as well as an Anglophile, I had found my holy grail.
How great that your coworker introduced you to P&P! Look at the amazing result of that action! Let’s talk a little about your newest release. Missing Jane has such an interesting and troubling premise! How did you come up with the idea for 
this story?
My stories always begin with a scene. For this one, it was when Bingley orders Darcy out of Netherfield because he believes Jane is dead and blames Darcy for not coming to him sooner. I knew Jane wasn’t dead, but where was she and why had she left Longbourn? Of course, the main reason any of the Bennet ladies would leave is that Mr. Bennet had died and they were forced to do so. The rest is just my imagination given free reign.
Oh, I do love a Bingley with backbone! 😉So right at the outset of Missing Jane you do something quite daring…you kill off a character! How did it feel to wield such power? What other Jane Austen characters would you like to explore killing off?
My husband says someone dies in every story I write. (I don’t think he’s right, but I’m afraid to check.) Death is a sign of transition. What was, now has to change. It is the impetus to move us forward. I did not publish a single book until the year after my parents died because I was driven to do so at that time. I have a book that I pull out from time to time – it is a modern (90s) suspense romance where I killed off the heroine’s 7 year old brother (when she was 5), her parents (when she was 10) and her aunt and uncle (when she was 22). That was a bit much.
I have played with ideas of killing off Lady Catherine (or at least putting her on her death bed) and Mrs. Bennet. But I have also thought about keeping one or both of Darcy’s parents alive.
You are right about death being a good impetus of change. I think Mr. Bennet may be more one of the more popular characters to kill off, probably because his death creates the greatest impetus for change…Let’s talk about Jane and Mr. Bingley, it sounds like they may play a bigger or different part in this story. Did you find these characters more or less challenging to write for than Darcy and Elizabeth? What traits of Jane and Mr. Bingley did you aim to develop more in this variation?
The story is told from Darcy’s and Jane’s points of view, but it is Jane and Bingley’s story. There is so much written on Darcy and Elizabeth that the readers sometimes lock you in on what you can and can’t do. Although there are certain expectations for Jane and Bingley, you are granted a bit more wiggle room.
I prefer seeing characters grow and change. They both are made aware that people around them have taken actions to control their future. Normally we see them as kind and unable to think poorly of others. I wanted them to become wiser and stronger, without completely losing their faith in mankind.
I love it!! Yes, I like all those things Jane and Bingley. And what an interesting pairing to have the story be told from Darcy’s and Jane’s POV! What is next for you, Bronwen? Do you have any other projects in the works?
I have promised my husband that I will work on a non-fiction project, but there are a ton of stories in my idea folder. I released Mrs. Collins’ Lover last summer and several readers asked what happened to Elizabeth’s son, Will, when he grew up. That will probably be the next P&P story I write.
Sounds great! How about we switch it up with some Quick-Fire Questions (á la James Lipton!) 😊
Fire away!
- Which Jane Austen character do you best identify with?
Probably Elizabeth – I love to walk in nature, hate to be without a book, and have a tendency to say things I later regret.
- Which Jane Austen character do you intensely dislike?
Emma – I find it really difficult to like her. I will say, when you go back and reread Jane Austen’s stories at different times in your life, you feel and notice different things. When I first read Sense and Sensibility, I loved the Dashwood sisters. Ten years later when I read it, Marianne annoyed me.
- What is one of your favorite scenes from Pride and Prejudice?
When Elizabeth and Darcy meet at Pemberley and they are both nervous and unsure of what to say or do. I love that he repeats himself because his thoughts are so disordered.
- What is one of your favorite scenes from Missing Jane?
Oh, I have so many, but it is probably the first one I wrote when Bingley gets so mad at Darcy that he kicks him out of Netherfield.
- What do you love most about Mr. Darcy?
He is flawed. My son and I love superhero movies. We watch the DC movies hoping they will be good, but we go into a Marvel movie knowing it will be great. The difference is the characters. Marvel’s heroes have a past and it isn’t always pretty and sometimes they don’t do the right thing at first, but they learn and grow. Darcy learns and improves himself to be worthy of Elizabeth. *sigh*
- What do you admire most about Elizabeth Bennet?
She is witty and unafraid to challenge that which she finds absurd or unfair. She is also devoted. She turned down 10,000 a year because he broke her sister’s heart. Jane is Elizabeth’s ideal, but I think she is right up there with her.
- What is your truth universally acknowledged?
That a bored mind will create havoc.
- If you were to meet Jane Austen, what would you like to hear her say?
You didn’t do too badly. Or maybe: I liked what you did with the side characters.
Terrific answers, Bronwen! Thank you! I especially love your answer for what you love most about Mr. Darcy. 🦸🏻♂️ I quite agree! I am so excited to check out your newest release, Missing Jane! All the best!
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~ Connect with Bronwen ~
Website ❧ Facebook ❧ Goodreads
~ About Bronwen ~
Bronwen Chisholm began her writing career working on suspense romance, but finally became a published author with her Pride and Prejudice variations. She takes great pleasure in searching for potential “plot twists” and finding the way back to a happy ending.
Her love of writing has led her to several writing groups, and she is currently serving as the vice president of the Riverside Writers and organizes the Riverside Young Writers.
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GIVEAWAY TIME!!!
Bronwen Chisholm generously brings ONE ebook copy of Missing Jane for me to give away to ONE lucky reader from this blog!
To enter this giveaway, leave a comment, a question, or some love for Bronwen!!
- This giveaway is open worldwide. Thank you, Bronwen!
- This giveaway ends July 20th!
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Check out the rest of the Missing Jane Blog Tour
Sounds like a fascinating story and it’s now on my ‘must read’ list. Thanks for the chance of winning a copy and good luck with the sales, I’m sure it will do well.
Thank you! Good luck!
Loved your comment that “a bored mind will create havoc”. I have a feeling that if Lady Catherine is killed off, Anne will run wild. It is good to see Bingley to get some backbone, but it is Darcy who goes to find Jane. Thank you for the giveaway.
Thank you. Actually, Darcy beards the lion in his den and gives Bingley the option to come along. They call a tenuous truce.
Good luck!
Great interview! I enjoy stories where Jane and Bingley have backbones. I look forward to reading this! Thanks for the chance to win a copy!
Thank you! Good luck!
Sounds like a story I would love to read! Congrats on another book published!
Thank you!
I enjoyed the interview
I am so glad. Meredith asked some great questions.
I will be adding this book to my TBR. I will checking out other on this book tour! I really enjoyed the interview question, they were superb.
Gwendalyn
Thank you! I hope you enjoy some of the excerpts and deleted scenes on the other sites.
Great premise! I too am looking forward to getting to know backbone Bingley. Can’t wait to see where the rest of the story goes. It’s so true though that death is a turning point and often brings out character qualities that may not otherwise be explored. Thanks for hosting the giveaway!
Thank you! Good luck!
Thank you for the interview Meredith. It was great to meet you Bronwen and I look forward to reading your books. The premise of Missing Jane sounds interesting and I love reading stories with Jane and Mr. Bingley. Thanks for the giveaway! –Leslie
It was wonderful being here. Good luck!
Thanks for reading our interview, Leslie!! 🙂 So glad you like the sound of Missing Jane!
Glad to know that Jane becomes more aware of people’s characters. In canon there were times I just wanted to shake her and tell her to open her eyes to the world
I completely understand that – remember what I said about opinions differing over time and different reads. I have wanted to shake Jane once or twice myself. lol
Enjoyed the interview.
Thank you.
Thanks Meredith for hosting [hello to your Mr. Bingley]. It was so much fun reading all those quick-fire questions. Just to let you know Browen, I don’t like Emma either. Congratulations on the release of this work and I hope it does well for you. Thanks for the generous giveaway… good luck to all in the drawing. Blessings, everyone. Stay safe, and healthy.
If I remember correctly, Jane Austen said Emma was her most unlikable heroine, or something to that effect. Thank you! Good luck!
Aw, thanks! I always love to include some quick-fire questions – I find them so much fun, myself!
Thanks to you both for the giveaway opportunity. Very interesting combo – told from Darcy’s and Jane’s POV. I look forward to see what transpires. Best of luck with this release.
Thank you! Good luck!
I enjoyed the Q&A. The book sounds wonderful
denise
Thank you! I hope you enjoy it.
I’d like to see how Jane and Bingley develop backbones!
I hope you enjoy it.
Late to the party again! I love this interview Meredith and Bronwen. I do like it when Bingley develops a backbone and I hope he also punishes Caroline for her part in the deception?
I love any stories told from Darcy’s POV, he’s my favourite character with Elizabeth a close second, for pretty much the reasons you give.
There are many JA characters I don’t like (such great writing!) but my least favourite book has to be Mansfield Park.
I’m really looking forward to reading this book with Detective Darcy on the case 🙂
Mansfield Park or Northanger Abbey (they trade places depending on my state of mind) is probably the next book after Emma for me. But all of JA’s characters are amazing in some way, pulling strong emotions from us one way or another.
I hope you enjoy the book.
So lovely of you, Glynis! I am so glad you enjoyed it!
Very interesting and informative interview. I love the premise of this book and hope that Charles not only grows a backbone, but also assumes accountability for his own actions when he left Netherfield–he could have gone back on his own to discover the truth of Jane’s feelings. Thank you for the opportunity to win an e-book.
Given the circumstances, I think they both recognize the shortcomings in themselves and those around them. Good luck!
Wonderful interview and insight! I do agree with your ‘re-reading’ at different points in one’s life. I remember reading ‘Mansfield Park’ and not being overly thrilled with it. But just a year or so ago, I re-read it and found I really enjoyed the depth of it. I just haven’t gotten there yet with ‘Emma’. LOL!
Again, congratulations and I do look forward to reading Jane’s story. Thank you for a chance at the giveaway!
I understand completely! The funny thing about Emma is I like the movie Clueless. I guess Cher is just a bit more lovable than Emma. 😉
Thank you! Good luck!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and the giveaway. Looking forward to reading the book.
You’re welcome. Good luck!
I enjoyed the interview, and would love a chance to read this book.
Thank you! Good luck!
Well, count me in! This sounds like another great Bronwen Chisholm story. I know it was controversial but I loved last year’s release of ‘Mrs. Collins’ Lover.’ And one of my favorite characters to kill off is Mr. Collins, especially when he is as evil as he was in MCL. Although, it is much more shocking if you kill off some beloved character, (not suggesting any here.) Well, best of luck Bronwen. Here’s hoping this new publications sees great success.
I really connected to the statement you made about rereading a book in 10, even 20 years time. How much you have changed and evolved during that time, giving you a different perspective. We’ve all been there and yet, it does surprise us when it happens.
I think we have a lot of swim practice, piano lessons, sports, etc., to thank for many a Mom’s creative juices to get flowing. It may happen more often today if we stayed off our electrical devices and let our minds think freely. I’m just as guilty of that, though. ouch 🙁
Thank you for the MCL love – it was a journey I felt compelled to make. You are right, if we put down the devices, we might have a bit more creativity. I know I have a tendency to play games on mine until I get mad at myself and delete them all. (This cycle plays out at least once a year.) 😉 Good luck!
Ooh, Bingley grows a backbone, gets mad and kicks Darcy out of Netherfield?! I would love to read such a story! I’m a JAFF writer (and reader, of course!) myself. As an Austen lover, I have long wished Bingley wasn’t so easily led and Jane not so naive. I’m trying to portray that in my current WIP, and I love to see it in others’ stories.
Looking forward to reading “Missing Jane” sometime in the future.
I hate seeing a goofy Bingley too, especially in the movies. That is one reason I don’t like the 2005 P&P – it makes me want to shake him. Can’t wait to see what you come up with in your WIP.
I am not interested in the giveaway, but I want to congratulate you on your release. Even in canon, Mr Bingley is stronger than what meets the eye. I know he holds his own during the philosophical discussion at Netherfield while Jane is sick. Jane, in regards to Wickham especially, sometimes has the insight that Lizzy lacks as well as the inner strength that her sister needs from time to time. I cannot wait to read this novel.
Thank you! I agree, Jane Austen did not write either of them as weak – humble, caring, modest, but not weak.
Hi Bronwen, let me start by saying I love your name. Congratulations on the new book, it sounds like a must read. Thanks for the chance to win a copy.
Thank you! Good luck!
Loved the interview and learning of the premise. I enjoy reading books of a character’s POV. Congratulations and wish you much success. Thank you for the giveaway.
I am glad you enjoyed our visit and I hope you love the book. Good luck!