Darcy: A Pride and Prejudice Variation received a 4+ star review, making it an IndieReader Approved title.
Following find an interview with author Alice McVeigh.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
Darcy: A Pride and Prejudice Variation was published on June 30th.
What’s the book’s first line?
In the book’s first scene, Mr Bingley’s two sisters consider whether Caroline might practice the piano, even if it means waking the elder sister’s lazy husband, who is dozing (as usual).
“May I waken Mr Hurst?” is the first line.
It is also one of the very LAST lines in the book. In other words, a great deal has happened, but Caroline Bingley is still unmarried, and still needs to practice in order to attract a suitable life partner!
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
It’s an unusual, sideways look at the immortal Pride and Prejudice. On the surface, it’s summery and frothy and even possesses an extra romance (for Mary). I sometimes call it Four Weddings: no funerals. But there are subtler colours in it, too. As the IndieReader reviewer captured.
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
It’s the third in my prizewinning Jane Austenesque series, which have – between them – placed in Publishers Weekly‘s BookLife Prize, been honorably mentioned in Foreword’s “Book of the Year” competition, and won gold medals in the eLit, Pencraft, Global, Incipere and Historical Fiction Company Book Awards, among many other awards.
And you really can’t write an Austenesque series and leave out Pride and Prejudice!
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
They love P&P but still feel curious about Darcy’s feelings. The original book is almost entirely from Elizabeth Bennet’s perspective, is why…
What’s the most distinctive thing about the main character? Who-real or fictional-would you say the character reminds you of?
Darcy is Darcy. Here, because of his diary, he’s rather more open to our understanding, and rather less inscrutable – rather more feeling, in a way.
When did you first decide to become an author?
My first two novels were published by Orion/Hachette twenty years ago. They were contemporary novels, and based on my other life, as a London cellist. I’ve also been published by Unbound in speculative fiction.
Is this the first book you’ve written?
It’s the sixth.
What do you do for work when you’re not writing?
I’m a professional cellist. I used to tour with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. These days, since Covid, I mostly write.
How much time do you generally spend on your writing?
When it’s going great, almost every hour. When it isn’t… a couple of hours, at the most.
What’s the best and the hardest part of being an indie?
I turned down several publishers for this series, because I was tired of having no say in the book’s promotions etc. But yes, I could still use a team of people, like the top authors have supporting them at the really major publishers!!
What’s a great piece of advice that you can share with fellow indie authors?
Don’t switch genres, as I did!!! Really confuses your readers. Pick a genre and stick to it!!
Would you go traditional if a publisher came calling? If so, why?
No. Been there, done that. Have T-shirt!
Is there something in particular that motivates you (fame? fortune?)
Prefer the first to the second.
Which writer, living or dead, do you most admire?
Of all time? Austen. More recently? The late great Hilary Mantel.
Which book do you wish you could have written?
Oh! So many!!! Books by Austen, Wodehouse, McCarthy, Mantel, Tolkien, the list goes on and on!!!!