Hey everyone! I've invited J Dawn King, author of A Father's Sins, to visit us today, and she was kind enough to bring gifts along with her! It's a pleasure to have you here, and thank you for your generosity!
I am delighted to accept your invitation, Candy. It has been such a wonderful roller-coaster ride so far.
Probably because my book is about how the bad decisions of a father can impact their children, I am most often asked about my development of the secondary characters. Even though Darcy and Elizabeth are the stars of the show, people like the Bingleys and Fitzwilliams, play major supporting roles. These characters had to become real in my mind; what they looked like, what they wore, how they responded. I ended up falling in love with Charles Bingley, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and his father, Lord Matlock. One reviewer said of my book, “God bless the Gardiners!” Yes, I love them too.
Mr. Charles Bingley: He became a cross between a young David Beckham, Cary Elwes, and Sam Heughan. He would be kind, good-natured, fun, and regularly teased by the older Fitzwilliam brothers and Darcy who treated him as a kid brother.
Colonel Fitzwilliam: I imagined a 30 year old Gerard Butler and Richard Armitage combination who was ruggedly handsome, a born commander of men, and sometimes impetuous. How could you not love this man? Impossible!
Lord Matlock: Pure Sean Connery. A gentle man who filled the room with his presence with white hair, a deep gravelly voice, and eyes that could pierce you to your soul.
Here is an excerpt from chapter eleven where we find Lady Matlock (who was very Helen Mirren). Please enjoy getting to know her a bit better. Mr. Bennet had just had a very public confrontation at Netherfield. It was witnessed by the Hursts, the Fitzwilliams, and the Bingleys.
~o0o~
In the drawing room, Miss Bingley could not help but snicker at the damage done to Miss Elizabeth’s reputation with the Fitzwilliam and Darcy family. Lady Matlock heard. The Lady was like the Darcys in nature, quiet and reserved. However, she was not a member of one of the most respected members of society for nothing.
“And, what about this situation do you find so amusing, Miss Bingley?” Until this point, Lady Matlock had chosen to stand back and allow her husband and sons to take charge. However, she recognized that these two women coveted a higher position in society and had determined that the Darcys would help them to attain that position. This was a familiar game to anyone who had reached the first circles of the ton. Though common enough, it was not palatable to Lady Matlock, especially since her niece and nephew were the targets of exploitation.
“Excuse me, Lady Matlock,” said Miss Caroline Bingley quickly, “I merely had something in my throat. I am certain that a cup of tea will be the answer. Would you like me to pour for you too?”
“Miss Bingley, do not underestimate my intelligence or my experience in dealing with women of your caliber. That young woman, whom you seek to demean in my eyes, is now performing a service in behalf of my family that will not soon be forgotten. She has proved her value and her valor in these most fearful times. You both would benefit by imitating her attitude and actions.” With that, she swept out the door and up to her nephew’s room.
~o0o~
When you close your eyes and imagine these secondary characters, who or what do they look like to you? Please feel free to answer if you chose to post a comment.
Connect with J Dawn King
~ ~ ~ GIVEAWAY ~ ~ ~
As I said above, the lovely Ms King brings with her some awesome gifts! She has two e-copies (kindle only) of her book, A Father's Sins, and one $50 Amazon gift card to give away! Woot! To enter to win one of these wonder gifts, please enter the Rafflecopter below!
- 1 person will win 1 e-copy (kindle only).
- 1 person will win 1 e-copy (kindle only).
- 1 person will win $50 Amazon gift card.
- Winners will be picked in that order.
- Open Internationally.
- Last day to enter is June 2, 2014.
- Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Any thoughts? I'd love to hear from you! Remember, to enter the giveaway you MUST fill out the Rafflecopter above.
What am I currently reading? I'm just starting Haunting Mr. Darcy by KaraLynne Mackrory. I'm looking forward to reading this! I have to say that I love this cover. It has a mat finish, which gives it a velvety look, and makes Elizabeth's ghostly picture pop! 
And because I wanted to split up my Pride and Prejudice variations, I read one of the books from my TBR pile (for my TBR challenge), The Statistical Probability of LOVE at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith. It was a cute read! I could relate to Hadley's anger toward her dad leaving and having to go to his wedding. Loved Oliver too! 
