Leaving Bennet Behind with Sarah Johnson

Hello, Dear Readers. Today, I have a special treat for you. New author, Sarah Johnson, is my guest and she agreed to an interview. I hope you will enjoy her road to writing as much as I did. Thank you Sarah, for consenting to be my guest and for answering all my questions. Your responses were delightful! 

There is also a giveaway so be sure to look for more info. Now, please welcome, Sarah Johnson, author of Leaving Bennet Behind, Volume I, Chosen. (The cover is lovely!)

How and when did your interest in Jane Austen and Pride & Prejudice take root?

My love of reading began early, and by ten my favorite author was actually Louisa May Alcott. She remains one of my favorites still. As a teenager I began to expand into a much broader spectrum and Jane Austen began to overtake first place on my list. In the midst of the turmoil of the 90’s I loved the simplicity of the Regency era. The Victorian times were much more strict, and that did not appeal to me, but who can argue with those beautiful, flattering Regency style dresses?

I remember well when the ’95 miniseries came out, and though I still hold fast to my love of the ’80 miniseries above it, I did love that I saw a newfound appreciation in others for Jane Austen’s work when it was released.

I continued to love my favorite era, and read it whenever I found cheap (or free!!) books from that time period, but when my husband ran across fan fiction (dot) net it opened my universe to a vast array of wonderful stories based on my favorite author. I was in heaven! I began reading with the archived DWG stories and eventually expanded. Later, when my hubby was deployed to Korea for a year, insomnia became my nighttime companion, so I decided to work my way through all the stories listed on the JAFF index. WOW – what a task! It was a long year, but I did complete my goal. Now that so many more have been added in the years since, I need to go through it again and read the newest completed stories.

Louisa May Alcott was my favorite author as a young girl too. I agree with your thoughts on those lovely Regency dresses. My, what a task you completed in a year! I bet you had fun doing it though. Is that part of what drove you to start writing your own books? Did you write other things before writing PnP variations?

I had my last baby and, due to a difficult delivery, I was unable to do much physically. So I was online one day poking around on DarcyandLizzy(dot)com’s forum and found a new writer’s challenge. I used to write poetry and short stories when I was in high school, but I have not written much since, and the contest piqued my interest. I went back to the original story and read P&P again just to see what I wanted to do differently, and a picture emerged in my head. It grew into a scene, which grew into the required number of words for the challenge, and then it kept on growing. By then I could not stop it and I knew I had to keep going with that story. (It eventually became the online version of ‘Leaving Bennet Behind’).

Did you have any idea that writer's challenge would lead to so much more! Do you have a muse that causes your story to lead you at times or do you use an outline and follow it religiously? What is your writing routine?

Outline? What is that? My betas would laugh at this concept from me. I don’t know what I am going to write until I am in the middle of it, but it always seems to work out well in the end. My mom and I did lay out a detailed story plot for one story, but so far I have not been able to work much on it. Perhaps one day I will do that – but if it is left up to me, the muse definitely leads more than an outline.

Love your response. I would probably be the same way about an outline! Is there any setting that is more inspirational to you when writing?

Quiet – I have 6 kids and we homeschool, so I enjoy those times when the kids are working on their own school work and the house is still and I can focus on what I type. Some days are easier than others, but generally I just need quiet – and maybe some classical music playing!

I can understand the quiet. I know you have already mentioned a little about the Regency era but I would like to know more of your thoughts. What else about the Regency era is appealing to you?

The only unappealing part to me would be the things that typically don’t show up in fiction books – like the lack of bathrooms, no air conditioning, the death rates due to lack of medical advancement, the smells I am sure would be horrendous at times, and of course my complete and total fear of horses. If you ignore all those, then everything else is appealing to me. I love the dresses, the simplistic lifestyle, the music, and on and on the list goes.

Those are most certainly some unappealing parts. The simplistic lifestyle and the propriety of the time is very appealing. Tell us something about your newest book that you love most. (if you can without giving anything away) 

What I love most about this story is how real the characters have become to me, each in their own unique way. It is not just about Elizabeth and Darcy, but instead it is about the two families and how they merge their lives together in so many ways. (Though this first book in the series does focus on the time span when E/D’s love blossoms, so they are a large part of this part of the story).

I like the sounds of what you love most. I look forward to reading the book. What have you learned from writing that has helped you in your daily life?

Writing has taught me to focus on the big picture more. The details sometimes get to me, but when I step back and realize there is a bigger picture, it helps. Writing has made it easier for me to see that in my own daily life.

It would do well for me to focus more on the big picture too. Those pesky details do cause trouble sometimes, don't they? Is there anything special about yourself or your writing that you would be willing to share with us?

I am new to writing, but I have found my passion. The muse is constantly at work, so I doubt I will ever run out of ideas. Right now I have about 4 or 5 books rolling around that I have not even put thought on paper about. My husband supports me in this endeavor, and I love that he has been my #1 fan since day one of this new journey.

I hope you have much success with all these ideas. It sounds wonderful that your husband is so supportive. What about modern day authors, do you have a one that has inspired you? If yes, what was it about his/her writing that was an inspiration?

There are four modern authors that I love to read, though most write historical fiction, so does that count as a modern author?

I have loved Janette Oke and Lori Wick since I was a teenager. Both write basic historical romance stories, usually with an underlying Christian theme, and I have loved all the books I read from both authors. Another is Jack Cavanaugh. My dad began purchasing his books when I was younger, and I loved his style and the fact that it was historical fiction. I especially loved his ‘American Family Portrait’ series that follows each successive generation of a family from the Puritans all the way through to modern times. (I believe there are 9 books in the series, so 9 generations). I would say all three of these authors inspired me to write in a historical time period, being true to the era and yet intriguing to the modern sensibilities we have today.

Another of my favorite authors, amazingly enough not a writer of historical fiction, is Frank Peretti. I love the mystery in his stories, and I hope to one day make my own stories as intriguing as he does his – though I doubt I will ever write a modern era story as he does.

You have given me some authors to  explore. Thanks for that information. Now for a very important question, we all have our special reasons for loving Mr. Darcy, what are your reasons?

I actually don’t so much love him as much as I understand and appreciate him. I actually am more drawn to those like Mr Bingley (which is definitely my husband). I understand Mr Darcy though, because I see a lot of myself in him. Perhaps it is just me projecting what I best understand onto the character as I read. 

Purchase at Amazon
and B&N.

Thank you again for being my guest this week, Sarah. It has been such a pleasure to get to know a little about you. I wish you much success with your book and future books. I'm happy you found your passion as that will benefit all of us!

Sarah Johnson is allowing me to host a lovely giveaway of three books, one signed paperback, US only, and two eBooks, internationally, of Volume I, Leaving Bennet Behind; Chosen.  Thank you, Sarah. To be entered leave a comment below as I always love reading your 'share in the conversation'!  Good luck to all. Be sure to include your email address in the comment. To prevent unwanted spam, put your email address with (at) instead of @. Winners will be chosen in a random drawing. Giveaway will end at midnight, June10, 2014.