The writings of Heather Lynn Rigaud

Welcome to Austen Nights, the home of author Heather Lynn Rigaud. Heather's writing is focused on updating the classic works of Jane Austen, taking these classic characters where they've never gone before. She welcomes you to enjoy 'Sweet Austen days and Hot Austen nights!'

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Undressing Darcy

Sarah Michele Gellar sometimes talks about how it was for her to be starting mid-season with a show called 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer', and having to talk about it with people. And the looks she got.

I sometimes feel like that. I mention that I've got a book coming out, and people ask, "What's it about?" Usually I'm in a non-chatting place, and I say, "Oh, it's a romance" and try and dismiss it as soon as possible. Because I'm a wimp like that.

Other times I explain, "It's a modern adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice." That usually goes over well. Most people have at least heard of Pride & Prejudice. "In which Mr. Darcy is a rockstar." Aaaaannnnddd that's usually where I lose them. 

Mr Darcy? A Rockstar??? (Sometimes there is pearl-clutching at this point)  Most people are too polite to tell me what they think of this idea, but they're faces express it fairly well.

And I get it, there are a lot of crazy fan fictions out there. And much of it is not very good. Plus it's Jane Friggin' Austen! Arguably the greatest English novelist of all time. It's Mr. Darcy, beloved of the ages, that I'm undressing and putting into highly irregular positions! What gall! What cheek! Excuse me while I go and clutch my pearls.

So you can see why I sometimes wimp out when describing my book. It's a romance. Find it in the romance section. Next question. 

But just as Sarah Michele was vindicated when Buffy turned into the monster hit it became, so does Slurry do quiet well when people just read it. I frequently getting notes from people who say something like: I've never read modern JAFF before, but your story changed that! I didn't think I'd enjoy it, but I did!

These kind of notes make me very happy.  :D Because although it is taking Darcy and Elizabeth to a very different kind of place, I worked very hard to have it still be Darcy and Elizabeth. I read though P&P so many times while planning and then writing Slurry so that I'd be getting the same characters. One of the things I'd do is at every plot point, is I'd study what was going on emotionally for each character. What was Darcy feeling here? What was motivating Elizabeth at this time? 

This was very important to me, because like any Austen Author, I wanted to stay with my favorite couple. I just wanted to put them in new clothes. 

I want to thank everyone who read my post today at AustenAuthors. It's all brand new and a bit scary too me, but everyone's support has been fantastic! 

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