The Darcy Brothers Tour: Character Interview with Theo & Fitzwilliam + Giveaway!

 

 

Hello! Today it is my pleasure to host Messrs. Fitzwilliam and Theophilus Darcy, stars of the exciting new literary collaboration The Darcy Brothers. Please feel free to grab a cup of your favorite tea and join the conversation!

LM: Good Morning, Mr. Darcy and Mr. Darcy, welcome to Songs & Stories! Would you care for a cup of tea? 

Darcy: I would welcome some refreshments after our long journey here.

Theo: Nothing would give me greater pleasure then partaking of tea in such a pleasant setting, in such delightful company. 

LM: My, what a pleasure it is to have two such handsome gentlemen come to call!

Theo: The pleasure is all mine, Miss Lieder Madchen, I assure you. However, I hope you will allow me to satisfy my curiosity. It is the barrister in me – always seeking an answer. Your name suggests that you enjoy singing. Is that merely a name or is it something you are known for? I would love to hear you sing.

Monica Fairview

LM: *blushes* I would be delighted to sing for you, should the opportunity arise. I chose the name after joining a German choir. But we are not here to talk about me! Please, is your family in good health? 

Theo: Well, you will have to ask my brother about his health, but I believe my sister does well enough.

Darcy: Tolerably good health, thank you.

LM: I am glad to hear it. Mr. Theophilus, what made you choose to pursue the law?

Theo: Being the younger son has its pitfalls and one of them is that you cannot live an idle life as my older brother does. [Darcy looks outraged] I was not serious, Brother. [Shudders] I would not like to shoulder the responsibility of an estate like Pemberley for anything.

As to choosing the law, as you know, the choices of professions open to a gentleman are limited to soldiering, preaching or law-mongering. I have no particular interest in drawing blood unless forced to do so. Preaching would only send my whole congregation to sleep. Thus I was left with the only profession that suited my talents, being of an inquisitive and argumentative nature, as my brother would testify. Fortunately, those traits are of use in a court of law.  

Maria Grace

LM: Mr. Fitzwilliam, if you were by some twist of fate born the younger son, what profession would you choose?

Theo: [Snickering] Preaching, of course. 

Darcy: [Ignoring the interruption] It is rather difficult to imagine something one cannot do. I shouldered the responsibility of my siblings and an estate at a young age, and cannot imagine any other life. However, there are times when I envy my cousin Richard. I would have liked to be an officer fighting against Napoleon. These are such troubled times and I would have liked to do my duty to King and country. There is a certain ring to that ideal. [He gives a sudden grin that lightens up his face] I would have enjoyed the adventure as well.

Theo: [Gives him a quizzing glance] I would never have guessed you harbored such wayward thoughts, Darcy!

LM: Theophilus, what do you consider your brother’s best and worst qualities?

Theo: My brother is the truest of men. He is loyal and upright to a fault. His worst quality is that he expects perfection in others and is rather hard to pleases.

LM: Fitzwilliam, what do you think are Theo’s?

Theo: [scoffs] We will never have the opportunity to drink our tea now. The list of faults my brother finds in me is never-ending.

Cassandra Grafton

Fitzwilliam: You are witness to one of his worse faults – constant interruption. I shall say no more on that score. His best qualities are his horsemanship and his affectionate nature. 

Theo: [Snorts] Hardly stellar qualities.  

LM: Fitzwilliam, I hear that you were once known as ‘Prince William.’ Tell me, have you ever considered inventing an irritating nickname for Theo? It seems only fair.

Darcy: Yes, I do remember Theo’s fondness for that appalling appellation. I have often thought of nicknames for him though I have only applied them mentally. My favorite is Thwarting Theo, which can be conveniently shortened to Wart.

Theo: That is rather good. You are a constant source of surprises today, Darcy.

LM: Now that your elder brother is so happily wed, Theo, have you thought of taking a wife yourself?

Theo: I cannot imagine that I will ever meet a young lady that I would wish to be shackled to for a lifetime. I prefer to think of myself as free of confinement. I will leave marriage to those obliged to produce an heir. 

LM: What was it like growing up together at Pemberley, when the two of you and Georgiana and Sebastian were all together?

Susan Mason Milks

Theo: [Looking serious for the first time]: At the time Seb was alive my parents were alive, too. I was fortunate enough to have a happy childhood, and even more fortunate that I remember a great deal of it. Pemberley was a different place in those days. My father was rather strict, but my mother could be very charming and kind. She was such a contrast to her sister, Aunt Catherine. Georgiana was the youngest, so I did not appreciate her perhaps when she was younger and could not join in games, but now we are very close.

Darcy: I prefer to dwell on the present. The past has unpleasant memories of a rather private nature.

LM: Then we shall end there, as any further questions I can think of are likely to be even more personal. Thank you both very much for visiting! Please feel free to pop back in at any time.

Theo: A pleasure to meet such a charming young lady. Now it is time to listen to you sing.

LM: *bats eyelashes* You, Sir, are an incorrigible flirt. Fitzwilliam, you must keep a close eye on this brother of yours!

Darcy: [Bows] Delighted to be of assistance and we hope to be able to visit you again in the near future.

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Theo Darcy is everything his disapproving elder brother, Fitzwilliam, is not – easy-going, charming, and full of fun. A tragic event as children severed their bond of friendship, but now they are together again. They are still at odds, though, this time over the love of Miss Elizabeth Bennet and the truth about George Wickham. Will Wickham manage to divide the brothers again? And more importantly, which Mr. Darcy will Elizabeth choose? 

Find out as the two brothers lock horns in this unique Pride & Prejudice variation collectively written by five respected authors.

Abigail Reynolds

AUTHOR BIOS:

In addition to their collaborative effort in The Darcy Brothers, Monica Fairview, Maria Grace, Cassandra Grafton, Susan Mason-Milks and Abigail Reynolds between them have published over two dozen Austen-inspired books, including national bestsellers.

Monica Fairview (Mr. Darcy’s Pledge) holds down the fort for the team in London while Abigail Reynolds (Alone with Mr. Darcy) supplies cute cat pictures from Cape Cod, Susan Mason-Milks (Mr. Darcy’s Proposal) inspires with views of the Seattle skyline, Maria Grace (Remember the Past) frolics in the Texas bluebells, and British expat Cassandra Grafton (A Fair Prospect) has the critical responsibility of keeping the team supplied with much-needed chocolate from her home in Switzerland.

Look for them at the Jane Austen Variations group blog where they are all founding members

Buy Links:  

The Darcy Brothers

Amazon 

Barnes and Noble 

Kobo

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

We are all at:

Austen Variations

White Soup Press

Theo is at:

The Darcy Brothers

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Two eBook copies of The Darcy Brothers.

To enter the giveaway contest, simply leave a comment or ask Theo or the authors a question.

Readers can increase their chances of winning by visiting multiple stops along the tour! Unique guest posts will be featured on a variety of subjects, along with fun interviews with Theo Darcy and, if he can be persuaded, his brother, excerpts, and supplementary material such as letters from Theo to his friends and family.

Good luck and enjoy the tour!