* * * * *
Thank you, Ceri, for inviting me to be a guest on your website as part of my blog tour for my latest book, A Peculiar Connection. I am delighted to be here!I wish to tell you of a recent dream that disturbed me in no small manner. I was sitting on a park bench enjoying the sunshine and minding my own business when suddenly Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth appeared. Mr. Darcy stopped short and stared at me. His face became flushed and his breathing grew labored. Now, I know for certain my looks no longer provoke such agitation or excitement in any young man and certainly not when compared to the lovely Elizabeth. I wondered what was up when Mr. Darcy began to speak.
DARCY: Elizabeth, look! There she is―another of those writers who plague us with their endless variations on our story.
ELIZABETH: Fitzwilliam, calm yourself. You know there’s nothing we can do to prevent their writing. It’s been two hundred years, and the copyright laws no longer protect us.
DARCY: Right, but there’s something about that author― (looks at me even more intently). I recognize her! She’s the one who dared to suggest that we are brother and sister in her latest book. Brother and sister! Can you imagine? Who would believe it?
ELIZABETH: I understand that you and I both believed it…at first.
DARCY: Not me! I would never swallow such a load of―
ELIZABETH: Watch your language, dearest.
DARCY: I also hear that in her story this rubbish is foisted upon us just as I was ready to propose for the second time.
ELIZABETH: Oh, how sad! I love your second offer. It’s far better than the first. You were way off your game with that hateful first proposal. It’s a wonder I ever forgave you for the dreadful things you said.
DARCY: But you did, and I had dared to hope again when that…that woman interfered. I tell you, there ought to be a law against people like her.
ELIZABETH: If there was such a law, you’d spend every day in court. Think of how many variations exist. You’d probably lose Pemberley paying all your attorneys’ fees!
DARCY: I would not because I would win! I’d sue the pants off that woman!
ELIZABETH: Oh, don’t say that, dear. She’d most likely beg you to do so.
DARCY: (gives her a strange look) I remember another book by that woman. She had us abducted by highwaymen!
ELIZABETH: (gives him a tender look) As I recall, that wasn’t all bad. Remember how we shared the same room, and the cave, dearest…you cannot have forgotten the cave.
DARCY: (smiles) I did rather enjoy the cave, now that you mention it. But don’t forget in another book that woman had you engaged to Wickham. Now, that was utterly insupportable!
ELIZABETH: I agree. I did not care for how stupid I acted in that novel. However, we cannot forget the book where we were forced to marry before we even liked each other. After I calmed down, I do recall some sweet scenes.
DARCY: You took long enough to come around, and if I remember correctly, you were the one forced to marry, Elizabeth. I was all for it. But don’t change the subject. This book―this latest book of that woman is the absolute worst. I care not what other perils writers put us through―I refuse to be your brother!
ELIZABETH: Then you must prove the author wrong, Fitzwilliam. Use that good head or yours for something other than growing gorgeous curls and solve this mystery because I have no desire to spend the next two hundred years as your sister!
DARCY: Come, Elizabeth, let us head for the attics at Pemberley. We’ll find the answers. (sneers at me) I’ll show you…you woman you!
Eventually, I closed my mouth and mopped up the drool from my blouse.
If you dream of Darcy, who does he look like?
* * * * *
* * * * *
Will a mysterious note from the past doom the love of Jane Austen’s most beloved couple?
A Peculiar Connection begins near the close of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Bent on preventing the engagement of her nephew to Elizabeth Bennet, Lady Catherine de Bourgh declares that any union between Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth would be “a sin against Heaven itself!” Her shocking revelation, along with a cryptic message written over twenty years earlier, thrusts the couple into a whirlwind of heartbreak and disbelief.
Could a deserted mansion in Derbyshire or a small church hidden in the wood hold the key to solving the puzzle? And why is Elizabeth inexplicably drawn to the portrait of three young boys in Pemberley’s gallery?
Determined to confirm or refute Lady Catherine’s accusation, Darcy and Elizabeth are forced to embark upon a twisted trail into bygone days and family secrets. All the while, they must endure the exquisite torture of denying the indisputable desire that still hovers between them.
Jan Hahn is fascinated by Jane Austen, 19th Century England, and true love. A storyteller since childhood, she's written skits and plays for local organizations and owned a business recording, writing and publishing oral histories. Jan is a member of JASNA and began writing novels based on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice in 2002.
Jan's first novel, An Arranged Marriage, won the award for Best Indie book of 2011 from Austen Prose. The Journey, published in 2012, was selected by Austenprose as one of the Top Five Austen Inspired Historical Novels of 2012, and it won the Favorite Pride and Prejudice Variation/Alternate Path of 2012 award from Austenesque. Her latest book, The Secret Betrothal, was published in 2014. Jan is currently working on Stolen Past.
Jan has five children, seven grandchildren, and is a native Texan. In her dream world, she lives in England in a place called Pemberley.
Author Links: Facebook • Blog • Amazon Author Page • Goodreads Page
Giveaway!
As I mentioned at the beginning of the post, Meryton Press are offering a giveaway of an e-book of 'A Peculiar Connection' to a commenter on this post. This giveaway is open internationally, and you need to comment by Tuesday 21 April 2015 to enter. Please can you leave a way for me to contact you if you should win, email address, twitter handle etc. Please note this giveaway has now closed.
If you'd like a bonus entry to the giveaway, you can comment on my review of the book here.
My thanks to Jakki of Leatherbound Reviews for organising the blog tour, to Meryton Press for sponsoring the giveaway, and to Jan Hahn for her guest post, and of course for writing 'A Peculiar Connection'!
We are nearing the end of the blog tour now, but if you'd like to visit any of the other stops on the tour, here is a full schedule:
Blog Tour Schedule
30 March: Review at Savvy Verse and Wit
31 March: Excerpt at Songs and Stories
1 April: Guest Post & Giveaway at My Jane Austen Book Club
2 April: Review at Babblings of a Bookworm
3 April: Author Interview at The Little Munchkin Reader
4 April: Review at Margie's Must Reads
5 April: Guest Post & Giveaway at My Love for Jane Austen
6 April: Review at My Kids Led Me Back to Pride and Prejudice
7 April: Guest Post & Giveaway at More Agreeably Engaged
8 April: Excerpt at Laughing with Lizzie
9 April: Excerpt & Giveaway at So Little Time…
10 April: Review at Diary of an Eccentric
12 April: Review at The Delighted Reader
13 April: Excerpt & Giveaway at Austenesque Reviews
14 April: Guest Post & Giveaway at Babblings of a Bookworm
15 April: Review at Warmisunqu's Austen
That was just plain funny. Both of you gals drooling over the exit of that man! What a hoot and a half. This I have to share. Well done.
ReplyDeleteThank you Joy, so glad you enjoyed the post. Colin's walk is well worth drooling over! :)
DeleteThanks, Joy! It's been 20 years since Colin Firth was Mr. Darcy, and I still find him drool-worthy!
DeleteLove it, what an imaginative dream! I can definitely picture Darcy & Elizabeth in dialogue and him giving you his intense stare to try to intimidate you...
ReplyDeleteThank you for the giveaway! My email address is tdungnvu (at) yahoo (dot) com
I love the intense stare as much as the Master of Pemberley walk! Thanks for commenting :)
DeleteI wouldn't care if Darcy was angry or happy - he could stare at me all day long. Thanks for your comments!
DeleteI wouldn't mind a dream like that! :) Oh, Joy, had I been there or experienced a dream with Mr. Darcy/Colin Firth, I have no doubt that I would have been drooling right along with Jan! Very cute, Jan Hahn! Made my day!
ReplyDeleteCeri, don't enter me in the contest as I already have the book and loved it! Couldn't put it down.
I think we'd all like a dream like that Janet! I had trouble putting the book down too, I read it in one session and only put it down once, to make a cuppa :)
DeleteI only know one person who loves Colin as Darcy more than me, and that's you, Janet! Thank you for commenting.
DeleteWe ought to have a drooling over Darcy fan club. There's four of us here who qualify for membership. Sigh and swoon!
DeleteI have to watch that movie with Colin Firth as Darcy again. It's been too long. Anyway I can dream of Darcy in the future books I read.
ReplyDeleteForgot my address fawn@mycomspan.com Fawn George.
DeleteBy all means, watch the miniseries again! Thanks for your comments!
DeleteDefinitely! Darcy is lovely to dream about Fawn :)
DeleteColin Firth for me would be the ideal Mr Darcy. Or even the talented and handsome Richard Armitage would do for me. Thanks for sharing this wonderful dream, Jan. I love reading about it.
ReplyDeleteevangelineace2020(at)yahoo(dot)com
I could see Richard Armitage in the part, but for me Colin Firth has been Darcy so long that I doubt I could replace him. Thanks!
DeleteOo nice choice Lúthien! If we didn't cast him as Mr Darcy I think Richard Armitage would make a lovely Mr Knightley too :)
DeleteEnjoyed your dream - I actually rarely dream about Darcy and it is not Colin Firth when I have - I much prefer the 1980 version, better all round acting especially Mrs Bennet and Lydia.
ReplyDeletemeikleblog at gmail dot com
Oh, that tall, ramrod-straight David Rintoul - I remember that Darcy. Glad you enjoyed my dream.
DeleteI completely agree with you about Mrs Bennet, Vesper, she was the worst thing about the 1995 adaptation for me, completely over the top. I also didn't like the casting of Lydia, I didn't mind how she was played but the actress was quite a bit older, I didn't think she was a believable 15 year old. Thanks for commenting!
DeleteI have liked Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy, but my dream man is Matthew MacFadyen or Richard Armitage. Can't wait to read this book as I have loved all of Jan's book with The Arranged Marriage as my favorite. Can't wait to read this book. skamper25 (at) gmail (dot) com
ReplyDeleteI think you'll enjoy it Debbie! Thanks for commenting.
DeleteThank you, Deborah Ann. I understand your feelings about MacFadyen and Armitage. They're both yummy, too.
ReplyDeleteRecently I've been casting an Australian actor Matthew Le Nevez as Darcy in my head. Matthew plays a really hot doctor on the Australian tv series Offspring. Wish I could see him in period clothing! Brendapwood at gmail dot com
ReplyDeleteThat should be brenda with a lower case b for my email
DeleteI was unfamiliar with that actor, Brenda, had to google him. I think he'd look great in period costume.
DeleteHis photos don't really do him justice. When he first started on Offspring I wasn't that convinced (he played a reserved standoffish character at first - the "Darcy" of the series) but then he smiled with this twinkle in his eye and phew! I was hooked! I haven't been able to get him out of my head since so he has become the hero in every book I've read lol
DeleteI'll have to look him up on YouTube. To be fair he's quite nice just in the pictures, but I know what you mean, charisma can make a big difference to attractiveness.
DeleteWish we could see that TV series here in the States. I'd love to see your Darcy acting.
DeleteColin Firth is the only Mr. Darcy for me! I must admit, I reacted a little like Darcy when I heard that this book makes D&E brother & sister, but upon further thought, Lady C probably would do anything to keep those two apart. Very imaginative! I'm anxious to read it. My email is jkpvw at aol .com.
ReplyDeleteI went into the book just blindly hoping for the best, Kim! I think authors like to make us worry. One of Jan's other books, 'The Secret Betrothal' sees Elizabeth getting secretly engaged to somebody other than Darcy. I am told it has a happy ending but I haven't been brave enough to read it yet, because I'm such a wimp!
DeleteThanks, Kim! I hope you like the book in spite of the horrific situation at the beginning.
DeleteGood dream,Jan!! I really enjoyed reading about it. Both Matthew MacFadyen and Colin Firth are good as Mr Darcy, but I am more pleased with Matthew MacFadyen, maybe becouse he was in the first adaptation I watched.
ReplyDeleteI think the first Darcy we see often makes such an impression that it's hard to imagine another actor in the role, so I understand why you prefer MacFadyen. I enjoy watching him, too.
DeleteI think the first Darcy you see will have a special place in your affections. The first adaptation I saw was the 1940 version with Laurence Olivier :)
DeleteYou guys are so funny! I like both main Darcys, Firth and MacFadyen. But what about Richard Armitage? I can see that!
ReplyDeleteYes, I can see that too, I am a keen appreciator of Mr Armitage, especially in period attire :)
Delete