Saturday, May 2, 2015

Jenetta James...Reimagining the Places of Pride & Prejudice


As part of the Blog Tour for Suddenly Mrs. Darcy, author Jenetta James is visiting More 
Agreeably Engaged and I couldn't be happier. Thank you for being my guest today. I enjoyed following your path along Elizabeth's footsteps. I'm also thrilled that the eBook and paperback are now available on Amazon AND getting good reviews! Congratulations! 

Exciting news for you, dear readers, there is a trade paperback giveaway!


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In Elizabeth’s footsteps: reimagining the places of Pride & Prejudice

Pride & prejudice is one of those novels with a set of iconic locations, completely redolent of the heart of its story.  Pemberley, Longbourn, Netherfield, Hunsford; all have such powerful identities within the narrative and most of us readers have fixed ideas of what these places look and feel like. Who amongst us has not imagined our arrival at the Netherfield ball amongst the hubbub of the neighbourhood and the flickering of Mr Bingley’s candles? Have we not all thought of the rambles we would go on around Rosings park and the corners of the Longbourn garden we would chose to read our book in? They are all places of great character.

But, the writer of JAFF is effectively forced to play around with them. In Suddenly Mrs Darcy for example, Elizabeth sees Pemberley as a wife and its mistress rather than as an awe struck guest and that inevitably influences how the place is presented. More broadly there are two approaches to place within fan fiction. There are those stories which take our beloved characters to places wildly beyond the world of their creator – such as other countries far and wide. This is a really fun thing to do but I am not sure that I am quite brave enough for it! The other take, which I have adopted in Suddenly Mrs Darcy is to take them to places which were within the contemplation of Jane Austen, but which are not really explored in canon.

The most obvious of these is the fabled Darcy House – Mr Darcy’s London town house. I live in London and love it so imagining this is very close to my heart. The reality is that I am a bit of a city girl and maybe that is reflected in my book. The plot of Suddenly Mrs Darcy sees our lovely couple spending an unscheduled summer at Darcy House and for reasons which it would spoil the novel to reveal, Mr Darcy also has another London property which sees some dramatic action.  I mean them to be luxurious and well-appointed (…what else where Mr Darcy is concerned?!) but also to have a sense of the city itself. I hope that readers enjoy visiting them both….

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Book Blurb:
Elizabeth Bennet never imagined her own parents would force her to marry a virtual stranger. But when Mrs. Bennet accuses Fitzwilliam Darcy of compromising her daughter, that is exactly the outcome. Trapped in a seemingly loveless marriage and far from home, she grows suspicious of her new husband’s heart and further, suspects he is hiding a great secret. Is there even a chance at love given the happenstance of their hasty marriage?

 
Author Bio:
Jenetta James is a lawyer, writer, mother and taker-on of too much. She grew up in Cambridge and read history at Oxford University where she was a scholar and president of the Oxford University History Society. After graduating, she took to the law and now practises full time as a barrister. Over the years she has lived in France, Hungary and Trinidad as well as her native England. Jenetta currently lives in London with her husband and children where she enjoys reading, laughing and playing with Lego. Suddenly Mrs Darcy is her first novel.

Links:





Available at Amazon
Schedule:

4/20:Excerpt & Giveaway at The Calico Critic
4/21: Review at Songs and Stories
4/22:  Guest Post & Giveaway at My Jane Austen Book Club
4/23: Guest Post & Giveaway at So Little Time…
4/24: Review at Diary of an Eccentric
4/25: Excerpt & Giveaway at My Love for Jane Austen
4/26: Review at Babblings of a Bookworm
4/27: Guest Post & Giveaway at Austenesque Reviews
4/28: Guest Post at Songs and Stories
4/29: Excerpt & Giveaway at Best Sellers and Best Stellars
4/30: Review at My Kids Led Me Back to Pride and Prejudice
5/1: Review at Margie's Must Reads
5/2: Guest Post & Giveaway at More Agreeably Engaged
5/3: Excerpt & Giveaway at Laughing with Lizzie

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Thank you again for being my guest today, Ms. James. It has been a pleasure having you visit my blog. I know you have been busy with your tour and I am happy you could stop by here. I wish you much success with your new book and I hope to see many more from you in the future. For you readers that have not had a chance to visit some of the other stops on the tour, the schedule is above. I hope you can find a few minutes to go back and catch up on these interesting posts and excerpts.

Meryton Press and Michele Reed are giving away one trade paperback to a lucky reader and the giveaway is international. Be sure to leave a comment and your email address or other contact info to be entered in the giveaway. Good luck to all. Giveaway ends May 8, 2015 at midnight.

33 comments:

  1. looking forward to getting to read this

    meikleblog at gmail dot com

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    1. I hope that you enjoy it & good luck in the giveaway! Jenetta

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  2. So looking forward to reading Suddenly Mrs. Darcy! My question is will you be writing any more Jane Austen variation? ;) td4bz2@hotmail.com

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    1. I hope that you enjoy it... As to whether I will be writing another one, I'm not sure... I do have an idea for another book but it is currently at a very early stage in my imagination. happy reading & good luck in the giveaway, jenetta

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  3. After reading this piece, I'm eager to know what other London property does Mr Darcy own. Perhaps another smaller house that he doesn't want his wife to know?

    evangelineace2020(at)yahoo(dot)com

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    1. Well, that would be telling.... I hope that you enjoy reading about it. I can say that I do not intend for it to be smaller that Darcy House - it is of comparable prestige, but you are right that he wants to keep it under wraps....
      Happy reading, Jenetta

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  4. The book has an intriguing premise, and I look forward to seeing how it unfolds. I'd love to win a copy. GinnaSaisQuoi at verizon dot net

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    1. Good luck in the giveaway & I hope that you enjoy the book when you get hold of it, Jenetta

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  5. I am dying to read the book and cannot wait until it comes out! I would love to win a copy!!

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    1. Dear Shannon, thank you - I hope that you enjoy it

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  6. The settings are a big part of Jane Austen's stories. In a way, it's good that Austen doesn't go in for tons of interior and exterior description so we can let our imaginations run wild. Look forward to seeing what Jenetta did with her P&P variation.

    Please do not enter me, Janet.

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    1. I agree - I definitely try not to go to heavy on direct description, hope that you enjoy, Jenetta:-)

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  7. I am excited about the Darcy Household in
    London and would really, really love to
    have this paperback! A thank you for the
    giveaway. -- ladysusan46(at)yahoo(dot)com

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    1. yes there is a lot to imagine at the Darcy household in London isn't there/ I hope that you enjoy, Jenetta:-)

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  8. Sounds like an intresting book. I would love to read it. e-mail: heleanna(at)gmail.com

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    1. Thanks for your interest, I hope that you enjoy, Jenetta:-)

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  9. Sounds interesting and intriguing! A house that Darcy wants to keep under wraps? Presumably not wanting is wife to know about? Must read this to find out.

    angmardee@hotmail.com

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    1. haha - that would be telling! I hope you enjoy & thanks for your interest, Jenetta

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  10. Uh Oh, nothing goods happens when Darcy keeps secrets... Too many misunderstandings! Looking forward to reading the novel. Thank you for the giveaway. My email address is tdungnvu (at) yahoo (dot) com

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    1. that is quite right - it usually means that a big mess is about to result doesn't it/ Enjoy the book & thanks for your interest, Jenetta:-)

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  11. I have enjoyed previous JAFF novels where Elizabeth and Darcy are forced into marriage. It has been intriguing to see how they come to love each other. Mr. Darcy with a secret and a secret house? Oh, my! I cannot wait to read this novel. Thank you for the giveaway. evamedmonds(at)gmail(dot)com

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  12. I find it fascinating that Darcy has a secret house and a secret. What is thefirst for and what is the second? Can't wait to find out. I can't wait to read it! skamper25 (at) gmail (dot) com

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  13. Looking forward to reading this story. Will add to TBR list.

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    1. Thank you Patty - enjoy it & thank you for your interest, Jenetta

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  15. I always imagined Darcy linked to Pemberley and now thinking that he can have a secret house I am really curious! Can it be the real mirror of his soul? Thank you for the international giveaway! My email is LorenDushku@gmail.com

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    1. Ha ha ... well I don't think I am giving too much away to say that he is still very strongly associated with Pemberley in this novel - I am not sure that you can creditably take Darcy away from Pemebrley, thanks for your interest & enjoy the book, best wishes, Jenetta

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  16. Looking forward to reading about Darcy's property in London and hope that one day I will also be able to visit London itself:) Thank you for the international giveaway! My email is oloore at gmail dot com

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    1. It is a great city - I hope that you can visit one day too

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  17. Uh oh, I wonder what this 2nd house is...?! I have a theory. Can't wait to read and find out. :)

    monicaperry00 at gmail dot com

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    1. I wonder what the theory was? thanks for your interest, Jenetta

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