My Pride & Prejudice continuation Number 4 is in the works!
When I wrote my first sequel to Pride & Prejudice, Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife, I had no idea that I invented, for better or for worse, a new literary genre - Jane Austen sequelist. I am proud to be a member of such a versatile collection of authors and aficionados.
After writing MDTAW (originally The Bar Sinister), I was content to rest on to my laurels - and dodge the bric-a-brac - with no thought of writing a sequel to my sequel. A reader asked me why I killed off some of the favorite characters from P&P. My response was that had I known I would be called upon to write Darcy & Elizabeth: Nights and days at Pemberley I certainly wouldn't have.
The success of The Darcys: The Ruling Passion, and readers' kind encouragement convinced me to take pen in hand (or fingertips to keyboard) once again. While I must apologize for being such an abysmally slow writer, I am well into the story. (At one point I had opined that I might be finished with it by Christmas - folly that.)
When last we visited the Darcys it was 1820. I take up their story in the year '35. In taking this leap, we must suppose that Darcy & Elizabeth spent the intervening years in rapturous and unfailing love.
Alas.
As we would expect, Darcy and Elizabeth's marriage prospers and they prove themselves to be good and dutiful parents. The twins, however, now on the cusp of adulthood, are determined to have their freedom. The Darcys also have a spirited fifteen year old, daughter - who made her appearance - so to speak - at the end of RP. Containing Maria's determined exuberance is a delicate undertaking - an office Elizabeth does not relish.
Because Darcy's was an excellent father, he means to enjoy the same relationship with his son, Geoff. Regrettably, they are of similar, exacting natures and are therefore doomed to lock horns. In the midst of this classic struggle, Elizabeth falls ill. Her ailment is a puzzle.
I hope to wrap it up in good time, but, as the Darcys well know: The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.
Linda Berdoll
11 comments:
Hi Linda . . . I have a question about the Kindle version of Ruling Passions - did they ever replace the text with the correct version? I'm just now getting back to your book and I'm not sure how to replace my copy with the updated version.
Hello,
thank you for your kind comments on our Bingley's Teas! I wonder if you experienced them at the Grangeville Rose Tea room in OK, meeting Brian(one of the owners) or if you met us (Bingley's Teas) at our booth at the Jane Austen festival in Louisville?
Either way, we are so happy you have discovered our teas and a place to enjoy them!
In the community of tea and literature,
Tea Temptress of Bingley's Teas
Linda, your book 'Mr Darcy Takes a Wife' was shockingly ill researched and needed heavy editing. Are all your books self-published?
Dear S. Dean:
Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife was published by Sourcebooks Publishing in 2004. My excellent editor was Deb Werksman. MDTAW has sold well over 200,000 copies and last I heard, printed in four languages. It earned several awards and general kudos from the likes of The Chicago Tribune, Library Journal, Booklist and many others.
It seems obvious to me, but I feel the need to point out that our opinions are simply that – our opinions. Yours certainly have no greater weight than anyone else’s – even mine. If one feels the need to opine it might behoove one to preface such profundities with the phrase, IMHO.
Cordial wishes,
Linda
Good Afternoon Linda-
I have noticed that there has not been a lot of activity on your blog since 2012. I am sorry to post this question in response to a blog regarding an unrelated topic, I just wasn't sure where else to post it.
I have been following your books since Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife was released and I was wondering if you are continuing your journey with the Darcy clan? I have immensely enjoyed the world you have created and the characters you have developed and I would be disappointed if there were no new books being released. Thank you for your books and for taking the time to read my post.
Sincerely-
Miss Jennifer
My website updates have fallen victim to Facebook, I'm afraid. I shall try to do better.
Regardless, I am indeed working on a fourth book about the Darcys. This one takes us a leap of about fifteen years into their story. No finish date yet in sight. I will be chronicling my progress. Thanks so much for your interest. Feel free to nag me about posting more often any time!
Ms Berdoll, I LOVE both books so far and am wondering if bk-2 as well as the rest will be audible as I love listing to books at work. I am just discovering bk-3 (dont know where I have been) and will purchase it asap.
Hi Linda,
Wondering if there is any update on your 4th book? I'm truly looking forward to it!
All the best!
Ms Berdoll,
I am an attorney with an undergraduate degree in English. I specialized in novels, particularly from the Romanic period. Jane Austen is my favorite author of all time and Pride and Prejudice is my favorite novel of hers. I have read all of Austen's novels many, many times. I have watched every version of movies based on all her novels and my favorite is the BBC (Colin Firth) version of Pride and Prejudice. Like you, I always longed to know the rest of the story of Elizabeth and Darcy. I would not ever try a sequel because I did not want to be offended. I didn't think anyone could do Austen justice. Finally, based on reviews of the Audible version of Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife, I tried your sequel. Wow! I was not disappointed. In fact, I was enthralled. Your novel was so satisfying to me. The writing is excellent and the storyline is very interesting. The scenes of a sexual nature were not at all trashy or raunchy. They were delightful, humorous and very entertaining. As soon as I finished MDTAW, I immediately purchased the Kindle versions of Darcy and Elizabeth and The Darcys. I just had to know more!!! I finished all three of your P and P sequels in two days and am yearning for more of the story. I love your writing style. I feel that you have captured Jane Austen's spirit very well. I also feel that you have been (in a good way) influenced somewhat by Charles Dickens, who is another of my favorite authors. Some of the scenes, the writing and the pacing in your work remind of Dicken's work. However, you have your own very unique style and talent. I find you to be funny, a great story teller, a wonderful creator of characters, and a person of great insight into human nature. Some of your observations struck me very forcefully and I have bookmarked many lines and paragraphs from your novels. As to some of your detractors, they seem pretentious and I have a feeling they really don't know as much about great literature as they would like people to believe. If they were so "smart" they would recognize that you have a tremendous talent and that your books are not supposed to be imitations of Jane Austen. It is evident that you wrote to have fun and to give readers pleasure in continuing the Darcy and Elizabeth saga in the SPIRIT of Jane Austen. You have succeeded. Thank you for that and please give us book 4. Also, I would love to hear books 2-4 on Audible, especially if read by the same person as Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife.
Linda, please, please do another novel on Elizabeth and Darcy. i have read all the sequels you've writen, and chuckled over them with glee. now as I apptoach the (old) age of 74, I can vouch that lively evnts are still anticipated, throughout one's senior years. So also, I'd like to keep following themature/seniorthank you lives of the 'inner circle' of our players.
Post a Comment