Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam Guest Post (and GIVEAWAY!) by Karen V. Wasylowski

Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam by Karen V. Wasylowski (author of Darcy and Fitzwilliam)

The internet calls him the nameless second son of an Earl, not very good looking in the popular sense but blessed with charm and wit. He appears in only a few pages of Pride and Prejudice but his existence is vital to the story, his importance to the Darcy family immense - he shares guardianship with his cousin for the precious Georgiana. And why would a father entrust the care of his only daughter to not only his son but his nephew? It followed that the nephew had to be as close to the family as a son.

That was my thought process as I watched the lovely 2005 movie Pride and Prejudice, especially the scene at the dining table when Aunt Catherine is enacting the Spanish Inquisition with Elizabeth. Oh how I love Judy Dench. I would watch her in a commercial and she would probably be nominated for an award. Darcy looks up briefly and catches the eye of his cousin. The look they exchange is the same one countless of young people have exchanged through the years as they sit politely by and listen to the ranting of their elders. It is hopefully respectful, seldom patient but always terribly embarrassing when strangers are present. I remember rolling my eyes around at my mother’s comments to such an extent that it’s amazing the orbs remained in their sockets.

Anyway, now my nieces and nephews do that with me.

So, writing the character of Fitzwilliam and his brotherly love/competition/loyalty to his cousin Darcy began. For my research on the Peninsular War I read the wonderful Bernard Cornwell books about Richard Sharpe, a rifleman in Wellington’s army who, due to his bravery, rises through the ranks from private to colonel. There are twenty-five ‘Sharpe’ books in all, covering each major battle of the Peninsular War, Waterloo and its aftermath. The internet helped explain any of the confusing details; each battle is covered so completely by the many groups still discussing that long war. It is a period of time that I find fascinating, the importance of that campaign still relevant today.

I have always loved stories about family and love, and the struggles we all experience as we bump along, trying to lead a decent life. We all fail occasionally but it’s the pulling yourself up and going on that counts. I see that in both Darcy and Fitzwilliam. They support each other; and, although they are both proud and stubborn, both with different outlooks of life, different temperaments, different lifestyles, the bonds of family and love will carry them through to another day.

If not, they’ll box each other’s ears.

Giveaway Details

Beth of Sourcebooks has been kind enough to offer one copy of Darcy and Fitzwilliam by Karen V. Wasylowski for a giveaway.

If you would like to win a copy of Darcy and Fitzwilliam, please leave a comment about what intrigues you about the novel, this fantastic guest post, or Colonel Fitzwilliam in general.

As part of your comment, you must include an email address. If I can't find a way to contact you I will draw another winner.

For an additional entry, blog about this giveaway or post it on your sidebar. Provide a link to this post in your comment.

I will be using random.org (or a monte carlo simulation in excel) to pick the winners from the comments.

This contest is only open to US and Canadian residents (Sorry!).

No P.O. Boxes.

The deadline for entry is midnight, Friday February 25th.

Good luck!