Winner of Mr. Darcy's Undoing by Abigail Reynolds

The winner of Mr. Darcy's Undoing by Abigail Reynolds is Faith Hope & Cherrytea.  She was drawn using random.org and has been notified via email.  She has one week to respond with her mailing address.  If I don't hear from her, I will draw a new winner. 

Thank-you to Sourcebooks for this great giveaway, to Abigail Reynolds for writing another great book, and to all of you who entered the giveaway.

Stay tuned for this week for many new great giveaways . . .

Mr. Darcy’s Undoing by Abigail Reynolds

Mr. Darcy’s Undoing is a Pride and Prejudice variation. Pride and Prejudice variations take a pivotal point in the original novel and change it, thereby putting a new spin on everything that comes later. In Mr. Darcy’s Undoing, the variation is that after refusing Mr. Darcy’s proposal while in Kent, Elizabeth returns home and accepts a proposal from her life-long friend, Mr. Covington.


Mr. Covington has a modest estate and lives in the neighborhood, which will allow Elizabeth to remain within easy distance of her friends and family. Mr. Darcy returns to Netherfield with Bingley, only to discover Elizabeth engaged to another. That does not stop him from having rather naughty fantasies about her. Will Mr. Darcy prevail in winning back Elizabeth’s hand now that he has a rival?

I enjoyed Mr. Darcy’s Undoing. It was a quick, easy read that was very heavy on the romance side of Austenesque fiction. I thought it was an intriguing premise having a realistic rival for Elizabeth’s affections. I just wish the rivalry would have last longer in the novel. The last half of the novel is after Elizabeth has made her final choice and focuses more on the romance angle.

I have decided after reading the last couple of Darcy variations by various authors that perhaps variations aren’t all for me (gasp!). I really enjoy reading Austenesque sequels, focuses on other characters or on Austen, modern day presentations, mysteries, etc., but the actual variation of the Pride and Prejudice storylines just don’t seem to capture my fancy as much. Is it just me?

Abigail Reynolds is a fantastic author. I have read several of her novels and especially enjoyed The Man Who Loved Pride and Prejudice. I also love that she is a “literary local” hailing from Madison, Wisconsin. With Carrie Bebris also hailing from my great state, I think we need to have an Austen author conference here in Wisconsin! Abigail Reynolds wrote a fantastic guest blog about her process of creating a rival for Mr. Darcy. The guest blog is located here and if you leave a comment, you have a chance to win a copy of Mr. Darcy’s Undoing.

Overall Mr. Darcy’s Undoing is a great romance which finally pits Mr. Darcy against a realistic rival for Elizabeth’s affections.

Book Source: Advance Review Copy from Sourcebooks. Thank-you!

A Rival for Mr. Darcy by Abigail Reynolds (and GIVEAWAY)

 A Rival for Mr. Darcy by Abigail Reynolds


How could that unrivalled romantic hero, Mr. Darcy, possibly have a rival? That was the question that started me writing the Pride & Prejudice variation Mr. Darcy’s Undoing. In Pride & Prejudice, Elizabeth is a reputed beauty in the local scene, her father is a gentleman, she has a tiny bit of a dowry, and she seems to be able to attract male interest without much effort. Despite this, Mr. Darcy has a clear playing field because all of Elizabeth’s other admirers can’t be taken seriously. Mr. Wickham is too poor, Mr. Collins too foolish, and Colonel Fitzwilliam lets her know directly that he needs to marry an heiress.

Because Darcy doesn’t have a serious rival, he doesn’t have to do much more than mend his manners to win Elizabeth’s favor. If there had been a rival, what would Darcy have needed to do to make Elizabeth take him seriously?

To develop a rival for Darcy, I had to consider what he had to offer Elizabeth. He is handsome (though Wickham is more handsome), extremely wealthy, intelligent and passionate. It would be hard to create another character who could offer Elizabeth more in those regards, but there are also things that Darcy can’t offer Elizabeth. To marry him, she would have to leave all her family and friends, as well as her beloved Hertfordshire, for a society where she is completely unknown. She is likely to be somewhat over her head trying to manage the household at Pemberley, which is larger and more grand than any she has ever dealt with, and in dealing with the ton in London. And while Darcy learns to accept Elizabeth’s family, one senses there is always going to be reserve on his part. He isn’t likely to consider them friends or part of his community.

Enter Mr. Covington. Elizabeth has known him her entire life and knows he is responsible, trustworthy and sensible. He owns an estate nearby that is similar to Longbourn, much more manageable for someone like Elizabeth. By marrying him, she could stay in her familiar environs near her family and friends. She is fond of his family, and could feel completely comfortable inviting them to visit her family. Mrs. Covington would never be as wealthy as Mrs. Darcy, but she would never lack for anything. Darcy is a brilliant match for Elizabeth, but Mr. Covington is a safe and comfortable match.

Even so, Darcy’s native intelligence and wit give him a major advantage with Elizabeth. I had to find something else in Mr. Covington’s favor, so I decided that Elizabeth would be engaged to him. In Regency society, it was very shameful to break an engagement, so even if Elizabeth developed feelings for Darcy, her sense of loyalty and propriety would weigh heavily toward Mr. Covington.

When I first posted Mr. Darcy’s Undoing as a serial on a Jane Austen fanfiction board, I had a big surprise. Before Mr. Covington had a name, I referred to him as ‘Mr. Nice Guy.’ And he is a nice guy – maybe a bit stolid, but he is a responsible and decent sort of fellow and he genuinely cares for Elizabeth. To my shock, my readers despised him. Comments ranged from suggestions as to painful ways I might choose to kill him off to torments he should suffer for daring to raise his eyes to Elizabeth. I’d created a perfectly amiable gentleman… and everyone HATED him for being in Darcy’s way.

The moral of this story: as an author, I could create a rival for Darcy, but in the minds of readers who love Pride & Prejudice, Darcy will never have a rival. And, in truth, that’s just how it should be.

Thank-you for the fantastic guest blog Abigail!  I think having a rival to Mr. Darcy puts a fantastic spin on Pride and Prejudice.  I enjoyed the novel and will have my review posted this week so stay tuned! - Laura

Giveaway Details


Sourcebooks is going to send one lucky winner a copy of Mr. Darcy's Undoing by Abigail Reynolds.

If you would like to win a copy of Mr. Darcy's Undoing by Abigail Reynolds please leave a comment about what intrigues you about the novel or this guest blog.

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 October 21st, 2011.


Good luck!

Winner of What Would Mr. Darcy Do?

The lucky winner of What Would Mr. Darcy Do? by Abigail Reynolds is Margaret. Congrats to Margaret!! Margaret was chosen using random.org and has been notified via email. She has until this upcoming Friday to send me her mailing address. If I don't hear from her by that time, I will draw a new winner.

Thank-you to Abigail Reynolds for writing another great novel, and for the great author interview about this novel. Thank-you to Beth from Sourcebooks for allowing me to host this great giveaway. And thank-you to all who entered the giveaway and left great comments.

There is still an ongoing giveaway for two unknown Georgette Heyer titles as seen on my right sidebar. If you love Jane Austen and are looking for something new, Georgette Heyer is a great new author to try. This giveaway will end this upcoming Friday, May 6th.

What Would Mr. Darcy Do? by Abigail Reynolds

Abigail Reynolds is one of my favorite Austen authors. What Would Mr. Darcy Do? is a Pride and Prejudice Variation. This novel starts at the inn in Lambton when Elizabeth receives the bad news about Lydia and Wickham. It varies here from the original classic as instead of leaving, Mr. Darcy stays, expresses his feelings for Elizabeth, and is caught in a compromising position with her by Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner.

There are still misunderstandings aplenty between the couple, but through the events of the novel, there is an understanding of love and passion between the two. The pages of the book almost start on fire with the underlying passion between the two during several scenes. Abigail Reynolds writes wonderful romantic scenes that involve no sex, but plenty of desire.

What Would Mr. Darcy Do? gives more background and behind the scenes in the original novel. I thought was a great companion book, and very enjoyable for all lovers of Pride and Prejudice. The language of the novel seemed to flow like an additional Austen novel.

For a great interview with Abigail Reynolds and a chance to win a copy of this novel, please check out this link.

Book Source: Advance Review Copy from Sourcebooks. Thank-you!

Abigail Reynolds, author of What Would Mr. Darcy Do,? Interview and GIVEAWAY

Abigail Reynolds is one of my favorite Austen authors. I am excited to have her on my blog today for an interview about her writing and her new novel, What Would Mr. Darcy Do?

LAG: How do you come up with your "what if" Mr. Darcy scenarios?

AR: Re-reading Pride & Prejudice is always a good place for me to start. When a scene makes me grind my teeth because Darcy is explaining himself badly or Elizabeth is misunderstanding him or there’s some external impediment to their acquaintance – that’s a good sign that it could be the basis of a variation. Sometimes it’ll be something that occurs to me when I’m reading. For my next book, it was the moment when Elizabeth takes Darcy’s letter, something I’ve learned was a huge violation of social proprieties. What if she’d done the “right” thing and refused to take it?

Sometimes a “what if” variation will turn out not to make much change in the overall story line, and those usually turn into short stories or novellas. I’ve just collected five of those in my newest book, A Pemberley Medley.

LAG: Have you thought about expanding the "what if" scenarios to other Austen novels?

AR: I’ve ruled out Emma and Mansfield Park simply because I don’t enjoy the characters enough to live with them in my mind for that long, but just lately I’ve found myself intrigued by Captain Wentworth. Anne Elliott was persuaded to refuse him the first time because he was poor and socially undistinguised, and when he re-enters her life years later, he’s become a captain and is wealthy from prize-money. Most poor seamen never made it to captain, of course. What would have happened if a captaincy hadn’t become available at the right time, and so he was only Lieutenant Wentworth and still short of money? Would the Musgrove sisters have found him so interesting? Would Anne make a different decision this time? There’s the tricky part about figuring out how he would get to Bath under those circumsatnces, but I think the plot line has great potential. Sense and Sensibility has some good variation possibilities as well.

LAG: Do you ever discuss Austen with any of your patients? I'm just wondering as when I was expecting my daughter, my doctor and I would discuss whatever book each of us were reading:-)

AR: I do discuss Austen with patients sometimes! Most of my patients are aware that I’m an Austen fan – the Jane Austen mug and the Jane Austen tote bag give it away, not to mention that I’m prone to quote Jane Austen out of the blue. I live in a town with lots of Austen fans, so a surprising number of them pick up on my quotes. Since I don’t practice under the name of Reynolds, most of them don’t know I’m a writer, though there are a dozen or so who’ve either figured it out or I’ve told them when I realized they were on the verge of discovering it – like the one who came in and recommended that I should read this great book she’d just discovered called To Conquer Mr. Darcy! The funny thing is that a couple of the patients who do know about my writing have used talking about my sex scenes as a way of leading into a discussion of their sexual issues. Hey, whatever works to make it easier for people to talk about the tough stuff!

Thanks for inviting me!

LAG: Thank-you for answering my questions - and for writing such great books! I often wonder if any of my Madison friends have you as a doctor and don't know about your secret identity! I hope you are able to write a Persuasion variation in the future - Persuasion is tied with P&P as my favorite Austen novel!

Giveaway Details

Sourcebooks has been kind enough to offer one copy of What Would Mr. Darcy Do? by Abigail Reynolds for a giveaway.

If you would like to win a copy of What Would Mr. Darcy Do?, please leave a comment about what intrigues you about the novel or this interview.

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 April 29th.

Good luck!

Abigail Reynolds (Author of Mr. Darcy's Obsession) Interview and Giveaway

I have very excited and happy today to have Abigail Reynolds as a guest at Laura's Reviews for an interview about her latest novel, Mr. Darcy's Obsession. I love Abigail's books and really enjoyed Mr. Darcy's Obsession (see my review here). Without further ado here is the interview!

1. LAG: I loved Mr. Darcy’s Obsession. I thought the premise of “what if” Mr. Bennet had died before Mr. Darcy’s first proposal to Elizabeth was very unique and intriguing to read about. How did you formulate this premise? Did you find it easy to run with the concept once you had it in mind?

AR: Thanks! I wanted to show modern readers just how brave Elizabeth was to refuse Mr. Darcy by showing what the possible consequences of that decision were. Mr. Bennet’s death provided the way to bring Mrs. Bennet’s fears of being thrown into the hedgerows to life. It was easy to go from there, apart from the challenge of finding an intriguing first scene that would be neither maudlin nor depressing.

2. LAG: I was happy to read that you are working on a sequel to Mr. Darcy’s Obsession. I loved the epilogue, but I felt like I would love to read more about characters in the novel when I finished the book. Can you give us any hints of what the sequel will involve?

AR: It takes place mostly at Pemberley follows the further adventures of Georgiana and Mary as they each fall in love with a man who is only suitable for the other. It plays out against the background of social unrest in Manchester with a climax at Peterloo. You won’t be surprised, I’m sure, to find Aunt Augusta playing a leading role.

3. LAG: You kept very true to the original characters from P&P while introducing some great new characters in Mr. Darcy’s family. I especially loved Aunt Augusta and Lord Derby. What was your inspiration for these characters? Who is your favorite character in the novel?

AR: Lord Derby had an unusual provenance. There’s a character in my modern novels, Joe Westing, who I find remarkably easy to write about – apparently my dark side channels Joe Westing! When I’m stuck in writer’s block, my critique partner often suggests that I write scene with Joe to get the juices running. In this case, I said that wouldn’t work because I was writing Regency and Joe is a very modern character. She challenged me to develop a Joe Westing character for Regency times, and that became Joseph, Lord Derby. Aunt Augusta was more straightforward. I needed a character who could stand up to Lord Derby and not take him seriously. She was supposed to be a rather prim character, but she didn’t listen to me. She’s quite a pushy lady!

4. LAG: I love how Mr. Darcy had an awakening throughout the novel on how people of other classes lived and how just because you were a member of the “ton” it didn’t necessarily make you a decent person. What led you to detail this journey? Do you think Mr. Darcy in the original P&P had such a journey, but it wasn’t detailed?

AR: I don’t think he journeyed quite as far in P&P – it was enough of a change for him to recognize the Gardiners as his social equals. In Mr. Darcy’s Obsession, he needs a reason to defy all reasonable society expectations and marry Elizabeth despite her situation, and I chose to do that by having his eyes opened to the amoral nature of Regency high society. I’d like to think that the original Mr. Darcy might have come to the same conclusions if he’d had enough of a push to consider it.

5. LAG: I also enjoyed the talk about sex during the regency period or in other words, that it existed, but was covered up by “stays in the country” for more affluent young ladies that found themselves in a certain condition, while ladies of a lower class were completely cast out for the same behavior. And of course gentlemen not being faithful to their wives were considered normal. What led you into this aspect of the novel and specifically how did you determine to make Georgiana and Lydia’s conduct a bit more risqué? I thought it seemed natural, what could have happened, but never would have been written of during the regency period.

AR: Very interesting question! I’m not actually sure it was that much more risque. I’ve always wondered what happened to Georgiana in Ramsgate. I can see how she might fall in love with him and decide to marry beneath her, but why would she agree to something as disgraceful as an elopement? It would not only damage her reputation but Darcy’s as well, and she doesn’t seem like that sort of risk-taker. So what made her agree to it? If Wickham had seduced her and she thought she might be preganant, she might see an elopement as her best option. But what if she was, in fact, pregnant? As I traced down what would have happened, I realized it made perfect sense – why Darcy had left her alone just after Ramsgate and gone to Netherfield in a rotten mood about social climbers. And then there is Austen’s physical description of Georgiana. She rarely describes characters physically, yet she makes a point that Georgiana has a womanly shape despite her years. Could that be the result of a recent pregnancy? Elizabeth would know perfectly well why young women disappear to the country for months, and might well have had that suspicion in her mind. The only accounting we have of Georgiana during those months is a statement in a letter from Miss Bingley that she is spending time with Mr. Bingley, and that could easily be a fabrication designed to discourage Jane Bennet. Who’s to say it didn’t happen that way?

6. LAG: I see that you are a Wisconsin resident like me! Do you make any appearances to discuss your work or for book signings?

AR: I’m just starting to make local appearances. On November 3, I’ll be signing books at the Wisconsin Library Association annual conference in Wisconsin Dells. Details are still being worked out, but December 11 will be a mass book signing with several other Austenesque authors in Milwaukee. There will be a couple of library appearances, too, but don’t have dates on those yet. I’m always glad to have another reader in Wisconsin! (Sad insert from Laura . . . I have a conference I was supposed to attend at the Dells around that time, but I'm due to have a baby on October 23rd so I'm going to miss it this year! Hopefully next time!)

7. LAG: How does being a physician part-time affect your writing? Do you have any difficulty being a woman of science and a woman of literature?

AR: Surprisingly, it seems to be a good balance. As a doctor, I’m trained to listen to people and observe while trying to put clues together. Writing is the creative version of the same thing. The only hard part is that it can be rather embarrassing when my patients find out about my books! It’s not exactly what you think of your doctor doing in her spare time. (Another insert from Laura - my doctor and I discuss books every time I go in for a baby check-up. She's always intrigued that I have a new one!)

AR: Thanks for inviting me!

LAG: Thank-you for answering my burning questions. It's always so fun to get to ask questions that you had while reading the novel to get an even deeper understanding of it!

MR. DARCY’S OBSESSION BY ABIGAIL REYNOLDS—IN STORES OCTOBER 2010
The more he tries to stay away from her, the more his obsession grows...

“[Reynolds] has creatively blended a classic love story with a saucy romance novel.” —Austenprose

“Developed so well that it made the age-old storyline new and fresh…Her writing gripped my attention and did not let go.”—The Romance Studio

“The style and wit of Ms. Austen are compellingly replicated…spellbinding. Kudos to Ms. Reynolds!” —A Reader’s Respite

In this Pride and Prejudice variation, Elizabeth is called away before Darcy proposes for the first time and Darcy decides to find a more suitable wife. But when Darcy encounters Elizabeth living in London after the death of her father, he can’t fight his desire to see and speak with her again…and again and again. But now that her circumstances have made her even more unsuitable, will Darcy be able to let go of all his long held pride to marry a woman who, though she is beneath his station, is the only woman capable of winning his heart?

About the Author
Abigail Reynolds is a physician and a lifelong Jane Austen enthusiast. She began writing the Pride and Prejudice Variations series in 2001, and encouragement from fellow Austen fans convinced her to continue asking “What if…?” She lives with her husband and two teenage children in Madison, Wisconsin. For more information, please visit http://www.pemberleyvariations.com/ or http://www.austenauthors.com/.

Giveaway Details

Danielle of Sourcebooks has been kind enough to offer two copies of the Mr. Darcy's Obsession by Abigail Reynolds for this giveaway.

If you would like to win a copy of Mr. Darcy's Obsession, please leave a comment about what intrigues you about Mr. Darcy's Obsession or what you liked about the interview with Ms. Reynolds.

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.

I will be using random.org to pick the winners from the comments.

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

No P.O. Boxes.

Since Baby Gerold #3 is due on October 23rd, the deadline will be a bit short this time around. The deadline for entry is midnight, Monday October 11th.

Good luck!

Mr. Darcy’s Obsession by Abigail Reynolds

Mr. Darcy’s Obsession is a fascinating look at “what-if” scenario in which Mr. Bennet has passed away before Mr. Darcy ever had a chance to propose to Elizabeth Bennet at Rosings. As Mrs. Bennet had always feared, with the death of Mr. Bennet, the Bennet family is cast out of Longbourn by Mr. Collins and his wife Charlotte. Jane is forced to marry a tradesman to ensure her family’s welfare, and Elizabeth moves to London to live with Aunt and Uncle Gardiner as a governess to their children.

After a chance meeting at a park, Mr. Darcy finds himself obsessed with Elizabeth Bennet. He finds himself returning to the park each morning just for a chance to spend time with her. She is doubly unsuitable for him now with her father’s death, but what is suitable? Mr. Darcy finds himself in a crisis where he starts to question the social order of the day. What makes a rich man that is part of the “ton” any better than a storekeeper? What makes a rich society lady any better than a pretty girl with a lively wit that has fallen on hard times?

Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth have a misunderstanding, but they both find themselves falling in love. Will they challenge the social order of the day to have a happy ending?

I loved Mr. Darcy’s Obsession. I thought the premise was very unique and I thought it was a great look at what could have happened had Mr. Bennet met an untimely end. I loved the romance between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth. I love how Elizabeth was able to challenge Darcy’s rigid social beliefs, and I love how she also seemed to light a fire within Darcy.

Ms. Reynolds was able to write a great Pride and Prejudice variation story that stayed very true to the original characters, yet introduced some great new characters. It turns out that Mr. Darcy’s family, although wealthy, has plenty of eccentrics of its own to compete with Mrs. Bennet, Lydia, and Mr. Collins. My favorite new relation was Darcy’s outspoken Aunt Augusta. There is nothing that Aunt Augusta wouldn’t do to torment Darcy’s Uncle, Lord Derby, a jilted suitor from her past and Colonel Fitzwilliam’s father. Lord Derby is all about family honor by marrying a great lady and keeping a mistress or two on the side. He is definitely not pleased by the prospect of Darcy or anyone in the family marrying for love.

I also enjoyed the discussion of sex in the regency era. While the novel does not have any steamy scenes, only sweet love scenes, it does discuss the inequality of men and women of the era. Women who found themselves in a certain delicate condition were either completely cast off or were able to hide it, adopt their child out, and pretend that nothing happened. Men on the other hand were expected to have a mistress or two or to dally with the servants, and this was not considered improper. While Jane Austen hinted at this in her novels, Ms. Reynolds is able to focus on it further in Mr. Darcy’s Obsession.

Overall, Mr. Darcy’s Obsession is an exciting, well developed, and romantic novel that stays true to Austen’s characters, while being a fantastic unique story of its own. I found myself wanting more to the story when I finished the novel and was excited to read that Ms. Reynolds is working on a follow up novel.

Please join me on Monday October 4th for an author interview with Abigail Reynolds. I am excited to learn more about Mr. Darcy’s Obsession from the author herself!

Mr. Darcy’s Obsession is my fourth item for the Everything Austen Challenge II.

This novel will be released on October 1, 2010.

Book Source: Advance Review Copy from Sourcebooks. Thank-you!

The Man Who Loved Pride and Prejudice by Abigail Reynolds

I loved The Man Who Loved Pride and Prejudice. I started reading the book not knowing what to expect, and I found myself loving an original modern take on Pride and Prejudice. I literally couldn’t put it down. My husband made the mistake of laughing at the title, but then looked sad when I said it sounded like the perfect man to me!

Cassie Boulton is a marine biologist and a professor at a small college. She spends each summer conducting research at the MBL in Woods Hole on the East Coast. This particular summer, Cassie is in town with her best friend Erin who is nursing a broken heart. Erin soon meets and falls in love with a man named Scott. Erin has Cassie play chaperone the first few times they meet and unfortunately, Cassie has to put up with Scott’s taciturn friend Calder. Cassie and Calder find themselves strangely attracted and share a very passionate love scene in the marsh one night. Calder finds he is unable to win Cassie’s love and decides to use Pride and Prejudice to try to break through to her.

Overall, this book was engaging and very romantic. I loved, loved, loved that Cassie was a scientist and strong woman. As an engineer, I am sad that women are not often shown as scientists/engineers generally in fiction. Calder was a very sexy hero. All of the characters, including the secondary, were very well written and interesting. I was happy to read at the end that Ms. Reynolds is at work on a follow-up to The Man Who Loved Pride and Prejudice. I can’t wait to get my hands on it!

I also noted that Ms. Reynolds lives in Wisconsin. I wonder where . . . maybe Door County? If so, she could come to my book club. I can dream!

I will be in Michigan visiting my family for the next week and a half so there will be silence on my blog until I return. Happy Memorial Day!

Book Source: Advanced Review Copy from Sourcebooks. Thank-you!

Winners of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy: The Last Man in the World by Abigail Reynolds

The two lucky winners of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy: The Last Man in the World by Abigail Reynolds are Caitlin of My Links and Adna of Classy Girl. The two winners were notified via email and have until this Friday the 19th to send me their mailing addresses. Winners were chosen using random.org.

Thank-you to Danielle of Sourcebooks for sponsoring this giveaway and thank-you to all who entered it. I still have on ongoing giveaway as you can see in my left sidebar. I have a few exciting upcoming ones . . . so stay tuned!

Guest Review (and Giveaway) - Abigail Reynolds author of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy: The Last Man in the World

I apologize to my blog readers that I have been offline this week. A good friend of mine passed away unexpectedly. I will post more on that later.

Today I am thrilled to have Abigail Reynolds the author of the new novel Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy: The Last Man in the World as a guest blogger. This books sounds fascinating and I can't wait to get my hands on it! Thank-you for writing a great guest post Abigail!

The Accidental Writer
I never intended to become a writer, and certainly not a writer of Jane Austen-related fiction. Jane Austen was sacrosanct, and I wasn’t a writer. I’d dabbled a little in high school, co-writing a few chapters of a fantasy novel with a friend, but that was it. For the next couple of decades, my writing took the form of telling myself stories in my head. Some were historical, some romantic, some bizarre. I’d polish the scenes of my mental stories, getting the lines and characters just so, then I’d run the scenes in my head when I was bored. I didn’t put anything down on paper, though I knew the stories well enough to do it.

A few years back, I discovered what I was missing. It was readers. I’d stumbled across Jane Austen fanfiction sites on the internet and read the stories there. My next mental story was From Lambton to Longbourn, the first of my Pemberley Variations. I take my beloved Pride & Prejudice and find a turning point in the plot, then turn it the other way and see what happens. For example, in Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy: The Last Man in the World, Elizabeth Bennet finds herself unable to refuse Mr. Darcy’s offer of marriage, even though he is, as she says in Jane Austen’s original, the last man in the world she could be prevailed upon to marry. What follows is a tale of love growing after marriage, despite misunderstanding and impediments.

So I started writing this story in my head, but this time I knew there were people who might want to read it if I wrote it. Maybe. Possibly. If it wasn’t nightmarishly bad. But the idea of sharing my story intrigued me, so I started writing it down and posting it chapter by chapter on the internet, frantically waiting to see if readers would like it. It was one of the scariest things I’ve ever done. But it taught me the importance of having an audience, even if it’s just one person. When you know your writing will be read, it becomes a dialogue of sorts. The pressure from readers kept me from giving up when I reached difficult sections – after all, I couldn’t let down my dozen or so anonymous readers. So I kept going and eventually posted the final chapter, heaved a sigh of relief, and swore never to do it again.

I’d reckoned without how addictive writing is. Once you start, it’s almost impossible to stop. I lasted a week and a half in writing withdrawal before I gave in to temptation. But now I admitted that I was actually writing, not dabbling. Because I’m a bit of a perfectionist I took some helpful classes that improved my writing no end, though my otherwise insightful teacher assured me several times that no one would ever be interested in Jane Austen-related fiction.

The next thing I knew, I had six books and lots of readers begging for more.

But I’ve never forgotten the importance of an audience. I’ve come to know a few of my readers, and I think about them when I’m writing. Not out of desire to please them, but to motivate myself. So here are my thanks to my readers, because you’re an essential part of my writing process.

That, and I really like thinking about Darcy and Elizabeth.

Thanks for inviting me!

Giveaway Details

Danielle of Sourebooks has been kind enough to offer two copies of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy: The Last Man in the World by Abigail Reynolds for this giveaway.

If you would like to enter this contest do any of the following:

1. Leave a comment on this post. You must include an email address. If I can't find a way to contact you I will draw another winner. (1 entry)

2. Blog about this giveaway or post about it on your sidebar. (1 entry)

3. Become a follower or leave a comment that you already are a follower of this blog. (1 entry)

There are three ways to enter, but you can put all three entries as one comment.

I will be using random.org 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 12th.

Good luck!